All For One
by licoricejellybean
Summary: League rules force Ash and his friends to attend a competitive Pokemon High school, but Ash ends up fighting with his oldest rival over something far more important than a Pokemon battle. Poke, Ego, Contest and Ikarishipping. Not AU, fits into canon
1. Start Of Something New

Hey readers! This is my first chaptered fic and though I planned to finish this before posting it I really want to see what everyone thinks cause I'm really proud of this. It's yet another experiment in style and I hope it works – it's based on one of my twelve oneshots with a twist. My goal with this fic? For this story to be the best of its kind!

Please comment – I need a little motivation to keep going with this one, as well as feedback. Chapter updates should come soon as I have a lot more of this written. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: If I owned Pokemon Misty would never have left.

**All For One**

Chapter One: Start of Something New

Victory.

A fierce determination and a singular dream combined with years of endless sacrifice and toil had brought him to this moment.

He was finally a Pokemon Master.

He stepped onto the podium, raising his hands in triumph, a jolt of burning adrenaline shooting through his veins as the crowd screamed their approval. He had won their hearts long ago with his drive and spirit – now he was their Champion.

The fiery sensation magnified as he lifted the trophy above his head, so powerful it threatened to overwhelm him. Confusion flooded through him as he tried to fight the pain, though his eyes darkened and his knees buckled in agony…his perfect moment, shot down in flames as he fell down into darkness…

'AAAAAGGGGHHHHH!' seventeen year old Ash Ketchum screamed as he tumbled out of bed, his nose making painful contact with the bedroom floor. He lay still for several seconds in a temper, wondering whether it was worth his while getting up today. Groaning, he hoisted himself into a sitting position and tried to massage his nose back into shape.

'What the heck was that for, Pikachu?' he snapped up at the electric mouse, who was glaring down at him from the bed.

Pikachu lobbed the long broken Voltorb alarm clock at its Trainer's head by way of reply.

Ash's eyes watered as he glanced up at the working Pikachu clock on the wall.

'Pika Pika!' the Pokemon snapped indignantly, waving its little paws in the air to drive the point home.

Scrambling to his feet in a panic, Ash raced out of his bedroom and dove for the bathroom door.

'Thanks, Pikachu!' he yelled it slammed shut behind him.

'Pika pikachu,' the Pokemon muttered grumpily, heading off in search of the ketchup bottle.

*****

Charizard soared over the lofty building, swooping steeply downwards in a stunning, daring arc. The Fire Pokemon blazed arrogant victory flames as it skimmed lightly over the lawn, coming to a smooth, sweeping stop on the asphalt outside the door. Ash grinned a little shiftily as he leapt from the broad orange back. He saved his flights on Charizard for mornings when he was exceptionally late. Unfortunately, that was pretty much every morning.

'Thanks, Charizard. Return!' he cried as the Pokemon disappeared in a flash of red light. Ash hitched his bag on his shoulders and stared up at the entrance with a martyred expression. Only eight more months.

It had started out as simply the latest in a long list of accidents made by young, inexperienced Trainers. Almost a year ago, a pair of young trainers had tragically lost their lives in their attempt to save a Bulbasaur from a rock fall. However, when it emerged that one of the victims was the son of a famous Coordinator, the public outcry became so great that after months of deliberations, the League had to act. Their actions, however, were radical in the extreme.

All Trainers under the age of eighteen had their Trainer licenses revoked, and in order to regain them, a one year diploma from a Pokemon based high school had to be attained. Ash had been in Sinnoh when he heard the news, fresh from his latest Gym victory and mere weeks away from competing in the Sinnoh League. He remembered his reactions with wry clarity.

'I've been a Trainer for SEVEN YEARS!' he had howled to an unimpressed league official. 'I'm an Orange League Champion! I was in the top eight in the Silver Conference AND the Ever Grande Conference! I'm the Kanto Battle Frontier Champion! I WON'T GO!!! You can't send me back to school, I won't let you!!! '

They had, though.

Back in August, Ash had unwillingly started at the most prestigious Pokemon school in the world, founded and headed by the most admired of Pokemon Professors.

Though Ash had resented the new laws deeply, over time he had grudgingly admitted that perhaps the League was right to limit younger trainers. After all, he and his friends had had their share of near-death experiences on their Pokemon journeys. Or in his case, actual death experiences.

Though he missed traveling intensely, life at Pokemon High was not without its advantages. Ash couldn't help sauntering a little as he strode up the steps of Pokemon High - three days ago he had won the monthly Intraschool Pokemon Tournament for the second time in a row, successfully defending his position as the toughest trainer in the

place. He was the first in the short history of the school to hold the title of Champion.

'I see you're practicing your victory strut, Ketchum,' a snide voice came from behind Ash.

Ash stopped dead.

'I see you're practicing being a stuck up, self satisfied idiot, Hayden,' Ash retaliated, whirling around to face his assailant. 'Or is that just your natural state of being?'

The two stared coldly at each other, unblinking. The corners of Drew's mouth began to twitch, and Ash's bit his lip. Out of nowhere, both boys burst into spontaneous laughter at exactly the same time.

'It's not my fault I rock, Ash,' Drew chortled, pushing his friend to the side so he could squeeze through the doors first.

'Just keep telling yourself that, Drew,' Ash sniggered as they ambled down the hall together.

The comments flew as they headed for their homeroom.

'Great match Friday, Ketchum!'

'Nice job, Pikachu!'

'You rock, Ash!'

'Still Pokemon High's golden boy, Ashy!' Drew smirked at his friend.

'Jealousy doesn't suit you, Drew,' Ash replied loftily, though he was relieved when they reached the door of Professor Birch's room. He was a little bemused by all the excessive attention - he still couldn't quite get used to it.

'Nice of you to join us, gentlemen,' Professor Birch remarked as they wandered into the room. 'Congratulations on the victory last week, Mr. Ketchum.'

'Thanks, Professor!' Ash said as he walked to towards his seat, sparing a quick grin for May and Dawn, who waved back from their spot in the back row. Ash felt the familiar empty lurch as he turned away from them. He still hadn't put his finger on where the feeling came from.

'You two love dramatic entrances, don't you?' Paul said, rolling his eyes as Drew slumped into the chair in front. Pikachu settled comfortably on Ash's lap, curling up for a doze.

'Nice to see you too, Paul!' Ash said ironically, high fiving his friend and grinning. It never ceased to amaze Ash just who he had become friends with on his arrival at Pokemon High.

'Late again, loser!' Gary Oak hissed from behind him. Ash turned slowly in his seat so he could face his biggest rival, raising an eyebrow sarcastically.

'Gary, the only person you should be calling 'loser' is your own reflection,' Ash drawled coolly.

Paul snickered appreciatively as Drew smirked. Ash shot them an amused grin as most of the class exploded into giggles.

'You're one to talk, Paul!' Gary replied hotly. 'Or have you forgotten that I was the one who knocked you out in the semis?'

'Oh, I just wanted the pleasure of watching my buddy Ash humiliate you in front of the entire school again,' Paul said lazily, grinning. 'Second time in a row, wasn't it Gary old pal?'

'That your excuse for loosing, Paul?' a mischievous voice piped up. 'You might want to work on that.'

Paul froze. He turned his head slowly, glaring frostily at Dawn as if he considered replying to such a statement as beneath him. Dawn wasn't the slightest bit fazed – she simply smirked back. Ash snuck a look at his friend, smirking a little himself when he noted the almost undetectable blush on his friend's face. Dawn was the only person in the school who Paul had failed to intimidate with his studied indifference, haughty attitude and famously brutal words - though he had succeeded in making her loose her temper. The knowledge that he definitely didn't scare this popular, talented and undeniably beautiful girl left Paul permanently wrong footed. She was the only one who could tease him and not end up dead.

Gary, however, wasn't the slightest bit interested in Dawn. 'I still beat you!' he said loudly.

'We're really sorry that you can't beat Ashy boy, Gary,' Drew put in maliciously, leaning around Ash so he could enjoy Gary's reaction. 'But that's your problem, not ours. Maybe you should ask your big sister for some help?'

Gary's face went red, and he glanced at his sister. Daisy Oak, however, was pouting into a compact mirror, seemingly oblivious to everything but her own reflection.

'Shut up, Drew - you're nothing but a pathetic little freak show,' Daisy cut in icily, causing everyone to jump. She didn't even bother to glance up at Drew. At the back of the room, May felt a little affronted. Nobody was allowed to insult Drew apart from her. She rolled her eyes at Dawn, half exasperated and half entertained by the usual banter.

Drew, however, looked highly amused at Daisy's comment. He clutched his heart theatrically. 'That one hurt, Daisy,' he mocked, sighing dramatically. 'Just because I'm a Coordinator!' he pouted in a mock teary voice. 'Nobody understands me!'

'We understand you all right, Drew, we just think you're crazy,' May snickered superiorly. Ash grinned as Drew whipped around in his seat, all traces of humor vanishing from his face as he glared stonily at his rival. May returned the favor.

Ash suppressed a snigger at his friend's discomfit. Somehow, the confident, quirky brunette was the only Coordinator in the school who gave him a challenge on the Contest field – and the only person who ever got under his equally confident, coolly self satisfied skin.

'You're one to talk, May,' Drew snapped, immediately wrangled by her comment. 'Taking on my Roserade with your stupid Beautifly is crazy in anybody's book.'

May flushed a little, though she was unsurprised by the comment. Drew had been bringing up their last battle together everyday for a whole week.

'My Beautifly has beaten your Roserade before, Drew' she snapped. 'It was just tired last week!'

'Tired of having a useless Coordinator telling it what to do, no doubt,' Drew sneered.

'Well I'm tired of looking at your ugly face!' May yelled, clenching her hands into fists.

Drew's face darkened, but before he could call her every name in his vast vocabulary Professor Birch called the class to order, and open war was temporarily avoided.

*****

Misty Waterflower peered cautiously around the corner of the hallway, searching for some sort of clue that she was in the right place. She had long lobbed her plan of the school into the trash, branding it incomprehensible, but now she was regretting how hastily she had discarded the paper that might have shed some light on where the heck she was. She replayed the instructions Nurse Joy had given her – 'Just go out the double doors, turn right, go up the first flight of stairs to your left, then take another right…' The words jumbled hopelessly in her brain. As much as she hated admitting it, Misty knew she had a hopeless sense of direction. She silently cursed her sisters. If they only been sensible, then she could have started at Pokemon High two month earlier like everyone else – though to be fair, they couldn't exactly be blamed for her current predicament.

She shrugged her shoulders, setting off down the nearest hallway with a determined expression. All the doors looked annoyingly similar, and there was no indication outside each room of who it was that taught within. Steeling herself, Misty stopped by the nearest door and standing on her toes, peered boldly in through the little window. A woman with long purple hair was standing at the front of the room, pointing out the different parts of a Vileplume's anatomy on a live model. Misty gave a little giggle of recognition. She was pretty sure that that was _not _Professor Birch.

She backed away from the window, trying to decide which door to try next. An ear splitting bell sounded suddenly from right above her head, startling her out of her reverie.

Oh, great, Misty thought sardonically. I missed my first class, and now I have to get somewhere equally impossible to find. She felt a fluttery burst of panic in the pit of her stomach as students began spilling out of classes. It was hopeless.

*****

Ash slung his bag across his shoulders as he strode out of Professor Birch's class, relieved to be free. He found it harder to concentrate in lectures than he did in practical battle classes – that was his playground.

'See ya, Ash!' Drew called as he headed towards the Appeal Complex, busy glaring at the coffee colored head in front of him. Paul hung back to chat to Professor Birch so Ash leant up against the wall outside the door to wait, gazing idly down the hall teaming with students and Pokemon.

Ash did a triple take as he caught sight of something that made his heart stop dead.

Standing outside Professor Ivy's class was the most stunning girl he had ever seen.

The first thing he noticed was her brilliant red hair. It swished around her face in loose waves, shining like amber silk under the glare of the bright hall lights. Her skin was the softest pale cream, her face tinged with a delicate rose pink. The stylish clothes she wore skimmed over her lissome figure – a trim little waistcoat over a white t-shirt paired with a mini skirt that revealed a pair of long, slim legs clad in over the knee socks.

He blinked stupidly, half expecting her to vanish into thin air.

She had to be new to Pokemon High – of that he was sure. After all, he was only the most promising trainer in the school. He knew everyone, and everyone knew him. But as he stared at her, Ash felt a vague twinge of recognition. He had the strangest feeling that he had seen her face somewhere before.

She was peering up and down the hall with an uncertain look on her face. He watched her fidget with her red drawstring bag, pulling out a crumpled sheet of paper. Her little cherry mouth tightened ever so slightly as she studied it, her face falling.

She glanced around wildly, as if praying for help to appear out of nowhere. All of a sudden, her eyes locked with his chocolate ones.

Her gaze shot to his heart like an arrow. It was then that Ash noticed the most beautiful thing of all - her eyes were the most startling shade of blue-green, and they sparkled like the sun on the sea.

He could hardly believe his luck. This was it - his chance to talk to her.

Forgetting all about Paul, Ash walked slowly over to where she was standing, never taking his eyes from hers. He noted with surprise and with pleasure the dazed look on her face as she gaped back at him.

'Hello,' he said quietly, trying to smile. 'Do you need any help?'

The girl didn't say anything. She simply stared at him as if he was the most astonishing thing in the world.

Before he could even think of something else to say, he felt his head jerk roughly to the side as Pikachu used his head as a launch pad.

'Pikachupi!' cried the little Pokemon as it leapt towards her.

'Pikachu!' she laughed, reaching out to catch the little Pokemon and hugging it close.

Ash gaped in utter astonishment. Pikachu liked his friends, of course, but it had never -_never _– taken to a stranger like this before. Many of Ash's admirers had learned the hard way to leave Pikachu alone – some of the determined ones still had the scars - yet here it was, welcoming this stranger of a girl as if she was an old friend!

Ash had a nagging feeling that he was missing something important. Confusion washed through him as he squinted at her, trying to place his recognition.

Suddenly, the obvious thunked into place in Ash's thick head. _Pikachupi._

Ash's insides froze.

'Misty?' he whispered hoarsely.

'Hello, Ash,' his oldest friend said quietly, turning from his favorite Pokemon to look at him.

*****

My first cliffhanger! Please tell me what you think and whether I should even bother to continue. Extra points to those who can tell me where I'm getting my chapter titles from – it's not hard. Daisy Oak goes by that name to prevent confusion with May Maple. I know people other than Ash and Misty might be OOC…sorry. Thanks for reading!

Song Inspiration: Hey Juliet by LMNT. Perfect for this chapter.


	2. What I've Been Looking For

Hey peeps! Welcome to Chapter 2. The crazy thing about this fic is that it started out completely different – in my original draft Ash and Misty had never met. So when I decided to make it fit with the canon I had to change everything I had written after chapter one. Once again, enjoy!

Chapter Two: What I've Been Looking For

Ash was no longer aware of the people jostling past him on either side, the busy hum of the packed hall fading into the background as he stared at her. For a single instant, his mind was utterly blank, disbelief and shock straining through the nerves of his body.

She blinked expectantly, her face growing puzzled, and Ash realized vaguely that she must be expecting him to say something. His brain took quantum leaps into overdrive and stunned, senseless thoughts raced around his head like wildfire, but he found he couldn't pin a single one down and shape it into an intelligent sentence. All he could do was gape like a hopeless idiot as he realized that he was indeed glad to see her. Very, very glad to see her. He couldn't believe he hadn't even recognized his oldest friend – admittedly, their communication had been fractured in his last couple of months of traveling, but he put it down to simply not expecting to see her randomly in the halls of his high school. But Ash felt the strangest wave of almost…_giddy _delight wash through him as he looked in her eyes, coupled with an unexpected relief, as if he had just woken from a long yet inexplicably fitful slumber

But the unprecedented tide of blissful emotions receded almost as rapidly as it has engulfed him, leaving him exposed in nothing but the flip side of his reaction.

There was no way around it – he had been about to try and chat up his now drop dead gorgeous longtime best friend. Her transformation was shocking but he was still possessed with a sudden desire to emigrate to outer Sinnoh so he would never have to explain himself to her.

'Misty…' he floundered uselessly. His stomach curled uncomfortably as he tried to cover up his blunder. 'I, uh, I didn't recognize you!'

He felt a prickle of irritation as he watched her confused expression give way to a shadow of something that looked suspiciously like satisfaction as she watched him struggle to regain his composure. To Ash's intense surprise he found the irritation was not an uncomfortable feeling – he almost welcomed it. Somehow with Misty his irritation was always tipped with something else, something he had never been able to fully define.

'Clearly,' she muttered ironically, her face unreadable.

'What are you doing here?' Ash choked out in a strangled voice.

'What do you think? Same as you - trying to get a full Trainer's license!'

Stupid question. Wait, why do you care so much? It's just Misty after all, Ash told himself sharply. He tried again, hoping he sounded intelligible.

'But where have you _been? _What happened? I went to Cerulean after I came home from Sinnoh but you weren't there, the guy at the Gym didn't know where you were…'

For the first time, she smiled at him. Ash felt his knees go a little weak. Her smile was shocking, heartbreaking – he didn't remember it having this sort of effect on him.

'You came to visit? After you came back from Sinnoh?'

'Of course!' Ash replied, taken aback by her delighted expression. 'I hadn't seen you in ages! Why wouldn't I?'

Misty's gleeful expression faded and a small, sad smile played around her lips.

'No reason…' She sighed. 'Well, the story of my summer is a long one – just know I listened to my sisters, that's what happened.' Misty gritted her teeth, scowling. 'But I'm about to be late for class, and I, er, don't know where it is,' she admitted grudgingly.

Ash grinned triumphantly. For once there was no chance of him getting them lost.

'Where do you need to go?' he asked, though he was pretty sure what the answer would be.

She checked the crumpled timetable still clutched in her hand.

'Uhhh, I'm trying to find the Battle Complex.'

'That's where I'm headed. Shall I walk you there?'

'Okay!' she replied a little too quickly.

Ash quickly debated how to seal such an unusual meeting. Deciding that a hug would be too forward, he simply raised his hand so she could shake it.

'It's really great to see you again, Misty,' he said quietly, trying to keep the intensity out of his voice.

Again, she didn't say anything but shifted Pikachu in her arm to free her arm and simply slipped her hand into his. Ash was sure he saw her tremble when their skin touched. Their eyes locked, and the intensity of the moment sizzled.

They stood there, their hands touching but definitely not being shaken. Ash could only marvel at the perfect softness of her beautiful skin.

At the exact same time, they both realized what they were doing.

They each yanked their hands back, both blushing furiously. Surely this isn't normal, Ash thought dizzily.

He tried to ignore the flush on his cheeks and hers as he motioned the way to the Battle Complex.

*****

Misty was mentally picturing herself in a vat of ice as she followed Ash Ketchum down the hall - anything to try to get rid of the fiery blush that had invaded her cheeks.

Ash slowed a little, smiling down at her as he allowed her to catch up. Misty's heart stuttered frantically as she fell into step beside him. She felt the almost forgotten sense of self-awareness that she always felt when she walked beside him – her senses were heightened and her nerve endings tingled all over her body.

She had known he would be here, of course – she just hadn't expected to bump into him so soon. And of course he had turned up right when she needed someone.

Misty tried to keep her eyes from the beautiful boy beside her. She was glad to see he had definitely grown since the last time she'd seen him and he even filled out his new outfit surprisingly well. But there were some things about him that hadn't changed a bit. His spiky raven locks still fanned out from underneath a rather battered looking Pokemon League hat. That wide cheeky grin still made her stomach take strange leaps when he flashed it her way and those deep, warm, smiling chocolate eyes still left her senseless. Most importantly, he still had that magnetic aura around him, that sense of confidence and strength. It reminded Misty why she had always known that Ash was unlike anyone she had ever met.

She barely had time feel exasperated that Ash still had such power over her, for she began to notice something a little strange.

The crowd was virtually parting for them – for _him –_ as they walked down the packed halls together.

Students and Pokemon alike stepped back respectfully, making a way for them to get through. She watched as countless people went out of their way to speak to him, admiration evident in all the passing faces. All eyes seemed to be drawn to him as he passed, and consequently, to Misty.

She felt the flush creep back to her face as she felt the other student's curious gazes. Misty wouldn't exactly label herself shy or anything, but it felt a little uncomfortable having so many strange people staring at her on her first day – and she couldn't help wondering _why._ She was even more puzzled when she noticed several people gazing at Pikachu, still lodged comfortably in her arms, in utter amazement. Misty also couldn't help noting the darkly envious glares of several of the girls she passed, leaving her feeling a little more violent than usual.

The crush in the hallway began to thin as students disappeared into classrooms, and the growing silence between them made Misty feel uneasy. Ash wasn't exactly a man of few words and Misty knew him well enough to know that his silence was not a natural one.

She was glad when he stopped outside a pair of large double doors, swinging one open with casual ease and standing back to let her enter first. Misty noticed the small smile playing around on his lips.

She dropped her eyes to the floor as she stepped past him, close enough to reach out and touch his chest. He must have been able to hear her heart beat a little faster, or feel the warmth radiating out from her crimson blush –

Whoa there girl, Misty thought to herself. Get a grip before you make a fool of yourself.

'The Battle Complex,' Ash announced. 'All the students in the Trainer Programs come here to practice battling.'

Misty found herself in an enormous room, the sunlight blazing in through the sparkling glass ceiling. She had never been in a more astounding place.

To her immediate left, Misty noted with astonishment that the entire corner of the room seemed to be covered in snow. Four gleaming Ice field were carved out of the powder, surrounded by elaborate ice sculptures and snowmen decked in red and green scarves and hats. Nestled in the far left corner was a lush green area that contrasted starkly with the shimmering white snow. It was surrounded by brilliantly colored blossoming shrubs, the concrete walls hidden by tall leafy trees. At first glance, it appeared to be a shady, exotic garden, but Misty could just about make out the lines of four Grass fields marked on the verdant lawn. In the far right corner, a massive, imposing plateau of rock lay, culminating in a live mini volcano nestled right in the center. Each of the four Rock fields appeared to have been carved right out of the stone, the lines only discernable by the red and green trainer platforms.

Best of all, close on her right were four sparkling blue swimming pools, navy and sky blue Trainer platforms perched on either end. A lavish rocky waterfall stood in the corner, flowing into a deep sapphire pool flecked with gold. Jumping fountains were dotted between the battle fields, students ducking the projected jets of water with practiced ease. Right in the center of the room stood four normal concrete battle fields, rather drab compared to their brilliantly decorated counterparts. Most of the fields were already in use, Trainers all over the room calling on their Pokemon to fight.

'This is incredible!' Misty exclaimed.

'Yeah, it's pretty cool,' Ash admitted laughingly, scratching his head. 'But the really impressive part is next door – the school stadium, where they hold the Tournament every month. But no time for that now, we should go and get assigned opponents.'

Ash led the way towards a large desk right in the centre of the room, tucked between the Normal fields. Misty followed him eagerly. She was looking forward to showing Ash just how tough the Cerulean Gym had become under her leadership.

Ash stopped just short of the crush of people, indicating that she could get in line before him. Misty blushed again as she stepped in front of him. Since when did Ash become so polite?

Gazing around the room, it was then that Misty noticed the screen for the first time. It hung on the left hand wall, taking up most of the wall. Misty stared with interest at the largest picture right at the top, a grinning black haired boy making a victory sign. That's Ash, she realized surprise. His face was first on what appeared to be a leader board, beside a large number one. She counted nine more named beneath his. She swept her gaze over the other pictures indifferently before returning her gaze to Ash, reading the words written beside his picture with astonishment.

'You're the School Champion?' she said in amazement.

Ash had watched her study the leaderboard, to his delight. He had been desperate to find out whether Misty knew he was the school's top trainer, but it had seemed a little over the top to point it out himself.

'That's me!' Ash said, grinning cockily. Same old Ash, Misty thought amusedly. 'Well, I'm one of them. I'm the Trainer Champion,' Ash clarified seriously. 'There's also a Coordinator Champion. His leaderboard is in the Appeal Complex.'

'That's pretty impressive, Ash!'

Ash frowned. Trust Misty to skim so lightly over his achievements. Didn't she realize how much work went into retaining his title? But before Ash could open his big mouth and start singing his own praises, the student in front of them wandered away, leaving Misty next in line.

'Misty, nice to see you again!' Nurse Joy said cheerily as she shuffled her paperwork. She began tapping frantically on her keyboard, and Misty jumped as her own smiling picture appeared on the screen above.

'Well dear, your first battle will be on Water Field Two, and your second will be on Normal Field Four. Will you be able to find them?' Nurse Joy questioned, concerned.

'I'll make sure she finds them,' Ash assured the woman.

'Ash!' Nurse Joy exclaimed, noticing him for the first time. 'Usually you're the first one here! What happened?'

Ash grinned. 'I got a little sidetracked,' he admitted sheepishly, glancing at Misty. 'Where am I winning today, Nurse Joy?'

'Hmmm…well, your first battle is on Water Field Two…' Misty and Ash both froze simultaneously. '…and your second is on Rock Field Three.' Nurse Joy looked up at the two teens.

'Who's my first opponent, Nurse Joy?' Ash stuttered in a strangled voice.

Nurse Joy's face fell as she checked the screen.

'Uhhh…Misty Waterflower,' she replied reluctantly as she looked up at Misty, her face sympathetic.

Misty didn't need sympathy. She turned to look at Ash, a wicked smile plastered all over her face. She couldn't wait for the renewal of their long time rivalry, but before she could antagonize him a scathing voice cut in.

'Misty Waterflower? Who's Misty Waterflower?'

Ash and Misty whirled around to see a small, slender girl standing just behind them. Her hard, cold blue eyes radiated hostility as she glared fiercely at Misty, her pretty tanned face twisted into a scowl. They watched as she shook out her tumbling chestnut curls irritably and placed her hands on her hips. A gaggle of girls stood a little behind her, watching the scene eagerly.

'I'm Misty Waterflower,' Misty informed the girl, taken aback but not intimidated by the hostile stare.

'Uhhh, Misty, this is Daisy.' Ash waved his hand uselessly at the girl in front of them, trying to diffuse the sudden tension.

The girl's eyes flicked from Ash to Misty, and she started in fake surprise, as if she had just noticed her standing there. Her face morphed into a look of mock incredulity.

'You're battling _her, _Ash?' Daisy questioned, indicating Misty with a lazy wave of her perfectly manicured hand. Her eyes were wide and innocent but her voice dripped with disdain. Misty bristled. 'Well, I would say good luck and stuff, but I don't think you're going to need it…' Daisy smirked, her envy carefully concealed behind a derisive expression as her eyes flicked over Misty.

Misty gritted her teeth, furious replies fighting to break free. No, she chastised herself severely. Don't loose your temper. Don't make enemies on your first day.

Out of the corner of her eye, Misty saw Ash open his mouth, his face dark with annoyance. But before he could come to her rescue, Daisy cut him off.

'Um, do you even know how to battle, _Missy_?' she taunted.

Screw this, Misty thought.

'I wouldn't be much of a Gym Leader if I didn't know how to battle,_' _Misty shot back heatedly, placing her own hands on her hips. Clearly, standing next to Ash Ketchum was a criminal offence in this girl's book. But new or not, nobody stepped on Misty Waterflower like that.

The watching crowd dissolved into excited mummers. Misty glanced around, suddenly aware of the student audience.

'Gym Leader?' Daisy stuttered, amazed. She struggled to regain her composure. 'Oh, I know all about Gyms because we have so many Pokemon experts in the family!'

Misty raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

'That's nice,' she replied, her voice laced with sarcasm.

Daisy scowled but her face became faintly curious.

'So, uhhh, which Gym do you lead?' she asked carelessly, glancing away as if she didn't care much for the answer.

'For someone that knows all about Gyms, I'm surprised you didn't recognize the youngest Sensational Sister,' Ash cut in smoothly.

Misty watched in satisfaction as jealousy flashed across Daisy's face. However, her expression soon morphed into a smirk.

'Perhaps, Ash, but she hardly seems like Sensational Sister material,' she sneered, contradicting the obvious.

'I was born a Sensational Sister, I just had to prove it,' Misty stated easily, shrugging her shoulders. It wasn't often that she referred to the 'promotion' her sisters had bestowed upon her so recently – sometimes it felt almost degrading - but now seemed like a profitable time to flaunt it.

Daisy sensed defeat, and it was not an emotion she was well acquainted with.

'Humph,' was all she could think of to say. 'I have a battle to win. Excuse me.' She turned pointedly away from Misty, scowling. After taking a few furious paces away she stopped dead, spinning dramatically back round to face Ash. A dazzling smile lit up her features as she caught his eye.

'Bye, Ash,' she purred seductively, waggling her fingers in farewell. Ash took in involuntary step back.

'Uhhh, bye Daisy,' he muttered, glancing away.

With a triumphant glance at Misty, Daisy flounced off, her posse of clones following closely.

'Urgh,' Ash groaned quietly, watching Daisy's retreating back with resentment. He turned to Misty, who was watching him closely. She had the vague idea that she should have taken the chance to berate Ash about the obviously interested Daisy but somehow she couldn't summon the will to do so.

'How did you know they made me a Sensational Sister?'

Ash shrugged innocently, smiling. 'How could they not have?'

Misty cursed her own transparency as she felt her cheeks flush. So Ash was now polite _and _smooth…when on earth did that happen? It was then that she noticed that Ash was not even watching her confused reaction, distracted by a powerful Fire Spin from a Charmeleon on a nearby battle field. Misty felt torn between suspicion and exasperation – was he too thick to even _realize _that his words could be construed as…_flirtatious?_

He turned back to her with a bright smile.

'Shall we get started?'

'Uhh, sure!' she replied a little unsteadily.

'Now you'll see what it takes to be the School Champion!'

'No way, you'll see what it takes to be a Gym Leader!'

Ash laughed, but his tone became businesslike as he led the way to Water Field Two

'You take this side,' he said, motioning to the pale blue Trainer Platform. 'Is three on three ok?' he asked with mock politeness.

Misty looked up at him, the lingering remnants of her embarrassment vanishing instantly. His tone suggested that he really thought this match was going to be a walkover, and his trademark overconfidence grated on her. Her temper, already ruffled by her encounter with Daisy, flared instantly. She didn't know if she could beat him or not – he was the School Champion and he had to have improved since the last time she'd seen him - but she would wipe that smirk off his face before the day was done.

'How about a one on one battle?' Misty challenged unexpectedly.

Ash did a double take.

'What?' he said blankly.

'One on one,' Misty replied sweetly, gazing up at him innocently.

'Are you sure?' he asked, raising his eyebrows in disbelief.

'Oh yes,' she said matter-of-factly.

She must think she can win this, Ash thought incredulously. He knew one on one battles didn't exactly favor the underdog. But Gym Leader or not, he was sure she was no match for him. Nobody around here ever was.

But Ash Ketchum was never one to back down from a challenge, no matter what the odds.

'Let's do it!' he agreed confidently.

Misty didn't say anything, she just grinned a little too widely for someone admitting defeat. With a flick of her long red hair, she marched towards the pale blue trainer platform, leaving a vaguely uncomfortable Ash to mount the opposing navy blue one. I think I'm loosing my grip, Ash thought wryly. Shaking off the irritating feeling, he quickly calculated his first move.

*****

Now you see Ash definitely hadn't forgotten Misty, he just didn't recognize her. Thank you so much to all the people who reviewed the last chapter – particularly Texas Longhorn and KawaiiCherryBlossom-aka-BWF – it sounds melodramatic but you all inspire me to keep going. If you haven't reviewed please jump on the bandwagon - tell me if you're getting everything, and what you think so far. Thank you!

It's probably worth noting that I've never seen any episodes past the Johto Journeys. I know it's crazy that I'm writing about characters that I don't know but I hope this explains any OOC-ness or breaks with the anime in regards to the relationships between characters. I hope this chapter comes across ok – it underwent a lot of changes to get to this point.

Next chapter is coming soon!

Song Inspiration: Best Friend by Toybox. Warning, stay well away from this song if you can't stand cheesy Europop.


	3. Get'cha Head In The Game

Hey people! I present Chapter 3. Enjoy!

Chapter Three: Get'cha Head in the Game

Shifting his hat to its customary battle position, Ash turned to his trusty starter Pokemon.

'You're up, Pikachu!'

His trademark confident grin faded as his Pokemon backed warily away.

'Pika Pika Pi Pikachupi!'

'What? What do you mean you don't want to fight Misty?!' Ash hissed, shooting his opponent a furtive glance to make sure she wasn't watching his exchange with his Pokemon. Her eyes were fixed on the Pokeball spinning casually on the tip of her finger, but her triumphant smile told him that she had predicted this unexpected little hitch in his plan.

'Come on, Pikachu!'

'Pika Pika!'

'Pikachu…' Ash said in a dangerous voice, but he already knew it was hopeless. Pikachu was notoriously stubborn – suspiciously like its Trainer in that respect.

'Fine,' he snapped as Pikachu crossed its arms with finality. 'I don't need you to beat Misty!' He ran his fingers over the Pokeballs clipped to his belt, silently recalling their inhabitants. His insides went cold as he realized his hopelessly amateur mistake. Charizard, Snorlax, Heracross, Donphan, Tauros…Ash's battles yesterday had been on the Normal and Rock fields. Distracted by Misty's foray with Daisy, Ash had completely forgotten to change out his Pokemon.

Ash gulped, silently contemplating offering Pikachu a bribe of a hundred bottles of ketchup for one Thundershock. He shot another sneaky glance at Misty to see if she had noticed his hesitation. To his dismay he saw she was now staring him down, grinning from ear to ear.

Ash panicked, trying to appear casual as he desperately recalled his battles from the day before. Relief burst into his chest as he remembered the one Pokemon he had overlooked – the one that was his only chance at success. He seized its Pokeball gratefully and threw it into the pool in front of him.

'Wartortle, go!' he shouted, thanking his lucky stars he had thought to bring a Water type to the Rock field yesterday.

The little turtle Pokemon appeared in the usual flash of red light.

'Tort!' it cried, looking fierce.

Misty beamed, the impeding battle momentarily forgotten.

'Wow, your Squirtle evolved! Hey buddy!' she cried, waving at the little turtle.

'Wartortle! War tort Wartortle!' the little Pokemon cried happily as it recognized Misty, waving madly back at her.

'Ash, when did this happen?'

'I went to visit him when I came back from Sinnoh but it happened some time before that, on a particularly difficult firefighting mission. One of the other Squirtles in the Squad had also evolved so it took over leadership of the gang so Wartortle could come to school with me.'

Misty sighed. Battling Ash's Pokemon was always a somewhat unnerving experience – it felt wrong, like battling one of her own Pokemon. She tried to push that thought away as she twirled around and tossed her favorite Pokeball high into the air.

'Gyarados, go!' she cried.

Ash stared resignedly up at the roaring Pokemon. He had guessed this was coming from the moment she had suggested a one on one battle – Misty was ridiculously fond of the monster - but Pikachu would have blown Gyarados out of the water. Misty would always have the upper hand when it came to Water Pokemon, especially battling on the Water Field. Ash thought quickly. There was no denying that Gyarados was a stronger Pokemon than Wartortle, but that didn't necessarily mean she would win. She had the advantage – so what? He had beaten plenty of seemingly invincible opponents in his years as a Trainer with much more at stake than this. All he needed was a plan.

He just wished he didn't care _quite _so badly about beating Misty after all these years. She still knew how to push him into a corner, that was for sure.

'Gyarados, Hydro Pump!' Misty shouted suddenly.

Ash's well tuned Trainer instincts quickly came into play.

'Wartortle, dodge it and use your Skull Bash attack!'

The Water Pokemon easily avoided the jet of water and launched itself towards its opponent, its head gleaming with the buildup of power. Gyarados was thrown backwards with the force of the assault, too preoccupied with its own attack to dodge it.

'Gyarados!' Misty yelled in concern, though she knew it would take more than a well placed Skull Bash to take out her prized Pokemon. Her faith was well founded – Gyarados hauled itself out of the water with barely a scratch. Wartortle sweatdropped nervously as the huge half Flying type loomed far above its head. Misty tried furiously to calculate her next move…Wartortle was vulnerable in the water…

'Gyarados, Whirlpool!' she retaliated, grinning.

The water in the pool began rapidly swirling in treacherous circles as Gyarados roared impressively. Ash gritted his teeth he watched Wartortle try to escape the pull of the vortex. Then he had a flash of inspiration.

'Wartortle, counter with Rapid Spin!' Ash yelled. His Pokemon reacted instantly, snapping its limbs into its shell and spinning so fast it became a blur. The circular pattern of the whirlpool soon dissolved into the churning waters.

It was Misty's turn to grit her teeth. She had used that move on many clueless young Trainers who had come to challenge her for a Cascade badge and it was rare that it failed. Once again, she had underestimated Ash's knowledge - time to employ her anti Water Pokemon strategy.

'Gyarados, use Bounce to leap out of the water and then use Thundershock!'

A small part of Ash's brain found the time to be impressed by the combination of attacks but he knew he had seconds to react before his Wartortle got mercilessly fried.

'Wartortle, use Aqua Tail to propel yourself out of the water!' he yelled, falling back on an old strategy to protect his water type from the electric attack. He gaped momentarily as Misty's huge Pokemon effortlessly powered itself out of the water, arcing gracefully as it prepared to unleash the deadly attack. His turtle tried to follow its Trainer's orders, the water curving from the pores of its tail in flashy jets, boosting it high into the air. But the Water attack was not enough to avoid the current sizzling over the surface of the water - the electricity simply shot up the streams of water that tumbled from Wartortle's body, engulfing the little Pokemon in a tangle of electricity.

Ash watched fearfully as his Pokemon succumbed to the power of the attack, plummeting back down towards the pool. His only relief was that Gyarados had to cut the attack after a brief seconds to avoid shocking itself and Wartortle was saved the agony of being immersed in electrified water, escaping the death trap with an instant to spare.

Ash growled. He knew it was lucky that Wartortle was even conscious after that combination. Misty had him firmly on the back foot but that was about to change – time to go on the attack.

'Wartortle, Bubble Attack!' he hollered quickly.

Caught unawares, Gyarados took the brunt of the attack, roaring in rage as the bubbles struck it full in the face. It grew more and more incensed as the stream continued, choosing to dive under the water to avoid the attack without the command of its Trainer. Ash watched nervously as the huge serpent-like Pokemon circled the pool underwater, and for a brief moment an uneasy, watchful silence descended. Misty grinned. Time to end this, she thought determinedly.

'Dragon Rage, Gyarados!' she yelled.

Ash froze, gaping at her in amazement. Misty's Gyarados knew _Dragon Rage?_

The monster burst out of the water, swinging into a spin as it began unleashing its most powerful attack. There was only one thing left he could do.

'Wartortle, Withdraw!' he howled desperately.

The Pokemon just managed to follow its Trainers orders before the towering tornado struck. Ash watched in anguish as Wartortle's shell was dragged into the midst of the cyclone, hoping desperately that his Pokemon could hang on.

Misty felt confident as the whirlwind of energy began to die away. She watched as Wartortle's shell washed up on the battered looking float, twitching feebly. Ash felt a little numb – he had made a fool of himself but he couldn't have been prouder of his Pokemon.

He watched in utter astonishment as Wartortle uncurled from its shell and shakily got to its feet.

Misty was stunned silent. Wartortle was still standing after _Dragon Rage?_

'Wartortle, yeah!' Ash shouted proudly.

'Wartortle!' the Pokemon growled determinedly.

Ash's problems weren't over yet though. Dragon Rage had tired Gyarados but Wartortle was on the verge of collapse. He had one shot left at victory.

But before he could make a move, Misty struck again.

'Gyarados, Hyper Beam!' Misty yelled.

'Wartortle, Ice Beam!' he countered.

The blinding white jet of energy met the beam of silvery ice with a deafening crash. Icy shards of ice exploded in every direction, blasting both Pokemon backwards into the water.

Misty gaped. In four years as a Gym Leader, she had never seen such a powerful Ice Beam – and from a _Wartortle? _It didn't make sense. She should have known - Ash Ketchum did know how to train his Pokemon.

The silence descended once more on the Water field as both Trainers waited anxiously for the aftershock to clear. As the smoke began to dissipate, two limp forms could be made out floating eerily on the surface of the water.

Ash scrambled over the rail of his platform and leapt out onto the nearest float, hauling Wartortle out of the water.

'You were awesome, Wartortle,' he said admiringly, recalling his exhausted Pokemon.

Misty hung anxiously over the edge of the platform as Gyarados began to stir. It lifted its huge head out of the water and leaned very close to her. She stroked its head lovingly.

'I'm so proud of you, Gyarados,' she said. 'Return.'

She watched as Ash made his way to her side of the field, Wartortle's Pokeball still in his hand. Misty smiled to herself. He might be disgustingly overconfident but he really did know what he was doing. On a level playing field, she knew her chances of beating him would be slim.

'Well, I haven't had a battle like that in a while!' Ash tried to say it casually but he was too busy trying to conceal his shock to quite pull it off. Misty found it hard to hide her amusement, disappointed as she was about the match. Clearly, Ash Ketchum had forgotten what it felt like to be challenged. 'I guess it was a draw, right?'

'Right…we'll have to have a rematch sometime, but next time I won't go easy on you,' Misty teased lightly.

'You didn't go easy on me and you know it!' Ash grinned cheekily.

'Oh, and how would _you_ know whether I did or not?' Misty shot back.

'You got your strongest Pokemon to use _Dragon Rage_! How could that be going easy?!'

'It could be!' Misty insisted stubbornly.

'Could not!'

'Could too!'

'COULD NOT!'

'COULD TOO!'

Misty's predictable reply was interrupted by a loud buzzer, indicating that second round battles should begin. Misty growled.

'We'll finish this later!'

'Bring it on!' he said sarcastically, his eyes flashing. 'I'd better get you to your next match,' he muttered halfheartedly. 'Normal Field Four, right?'

Misty nodded. The sulky silence dissipated quickly as Ash made some comment about Gyarados and their squabble already forgotten as Ash led her through the crush of people moving between battle fields. He stopped by the gray field farthest from the door.

'Here we are!' he said lightly.

'Thanks,' Misty said, suddenly feeling shy. The new intensity that had been so marked during their sudden reunion came flooding back as they looked at each other again.

'Uhhh…well good luck on your next match,' Ash offered a little awkwardly.

'Thanks,' Misty said a little faintly.

'I guess I'll see you later,' Ash said quietly, raising his hand in farewell and turning away.

'Pika Pika, Pikachupi!'

Misty gaped after him, her legs unsteady beneath her as she waved vaguely to his Pokemon. She watched as he walked towards the Rock fields, leaping up onto the expanse of stone with practiced ease. He seemed to do a double take when he saw the person standing near the empty Rock Field Three, tapping his foot impatiently. Ash began treading with obvious care, creeping silently towards his waiting opponent.

She watched as Ash greeted the long haired guy with a surprise friendly slap on the back. The other boy jumped in shock, whirling around and giving Ash a retaliatory shove as he scowled deeply. Ash didn't seem fazed – he laughed at his friend's dark countenance. The other boy began to smile reluctantly, soon joining in with the banter. Misty felt her insides squiggle as she took in Ash's every expression. He was just so…

'Sorry I'm late!' a voice panted from behind her.

Misty jumped, snapping out of her dreamy reverie. She turned to see a girl bending over as she clutched her sides, her long indigo hair trailing across her face.

Misty tried not to smile at the girl's friendly but unorthodox entrance. With what looked like a tremendous effort the girl stood up and smiled. Pushing back her navy locks she opened her mouth but her words died as she caught sight of something that interested her more than any new student could. Misty was momentarily grateful that this girl didn't seem to feel the need to stare at her like she was a zoo attraction and not just a new student - she had had enough of being the center of attention for one day – but her gratitude vanished as she realized the girl definitely seemed interested in gaping at someone else.

Misty followed the girl's wandering gaze with a sharp jolt of what she refused to acknowledge as jealousy. She was staring dreamily at the two young men standing by Rock Field Three, still arguing and laughing together. Does every girl in the school have a crush on Ash? Misty thought to herself irritably. She realized with something like chagrin that 'every girl in the school' included herself.

However, Misty's resentment soon dissipated as the two men parted, still shouting merrily to each other as they mounted their opposing Trainer platforms. Misty watched as the girl ignored Ash completely, her eyes following his darkly handsome rival to the other side of the field. Ahhhh, Misty thought triumphantly, allowing herself a sigh of relief. Her eyes flicked with interest to the large leader board, and she recognized the third smirking picture down as Ash's current rival and apparent good friend – a certain Paul Ikari.

Misty glanced back to the staring girl, somewhat amused by her vacant expression. I must have looked that ridiculous just a minute ago, she thought to herself wryly. She decided that if anyone was going to make a move towards conversation it would have to be her.

'Errr…I'm Misty,' she stated uncertainly.

The girl started violently, returning to earth with a bump. She seemed to have forgotten about Misty's existence, enjoying one of the rare times when she could admire Paul without risking getting death glared.

'Wait a minute…Misty? Misty Waterflower?' she gasped, an incredulous expression appearing on her face.

'Yeah, that's me,' Misty replied, taken aback.

'Oh my gosh! I can't believe I'm finally getting to meet you – I'm Dawn Berlitz, I traveled with your friend Ash Ketchum in Sinnoh!'

Misty gasped. 'Wow, it's so good to meet you! Ash used to tell me all about you!'

'Ash told me you'd given up training - what are you doing here?'

Misty gritted her teeth at her best friend's misapprehension.

'I never gave up Pokemon, I just took a forced break – long story!' Misty said hastily – she wasn't keen to go into an explanation right now.

'You're a Gym Leader, right?' Dawn questioned, laughing a little nervously. 'My Appeal class ran late and I had to run all the way here, so go easy on me!'

Misty frowned. 'I forgot you were a Coordinator…if that's the case, then why are you battling me?'

Dawn shrugged. 'Occasionally they mix it up a little so people face new opponents.' She looked thoughtful. 'I'm just surprised they made you do this on your first day. Perhaps they thought it would be an easy match for you,' she concluded, not looking at all offended by this idea.

Misty politely tried to dispute this suggestion, but Dawn shook it off.

'Coordinators have only one practice Battle every day because they have Appeal practice too, so Trainers end up with double the practical battle experience. So, naturally, almost all the Trainers in the school are more skilled in battle combat than your average Coordinator.'

Misty couldn't argue with that - Dawn certainly didn't look too imposing. Dawn, however, was rapidly loosing interest in the subject.

'So, shall we say, three on three?' she questioned, getting back to the point.

Misty shrugged. 'Sounds good to me,' she agreed, her eyes drifting automatically back to Rock Field Three.

Dawn checked discreetly to see where she was staring off to, a hint of a smile playing round her mouth as she turned back to her new friend. Clearly, Brock had been right after all.

******

I know this is at the bottom of EVERY fic you read but please do review – I'd love your opinion on the battle scene. And tell me what your favorite Pokemon is, if you want. And just so you all know, I had this scene written before any of you made your predictions so brownie points to those who guessed right! More ships in the next chapter…coming very soon!

Misty's my favorite character and I know she's a Gym Leader and stuff, but I figure that Ash has to be a more accomplished Trainer than her after all he's been through. So I tried to even the playing field so that their battle would be closer. And why did Squirtle evolve? Because I like Wartortle, that's why.

Review replies from Chapter Two:

AzureKite: Thanks for reviewing! Don't worry, Misty'll get her revenge on Daisy…I know she's practically an OC but I dislike her a LOT, she deserves to be malleted.

keyblader1991: Thanks for the review, sorry if you don't like the HSM names but they will be staying! Great job predicting what was coming next!

Fire Drastar: Thanks for reviewing, glad your enjoying the story! Hmmm I don't think Ash would ever go easy on anyone in a Pokemon battle – but then neither would Misty! I guess they're perfect for each other :D

Ronmione X3: Thanks for reviewing, I hope this battle scene was as epic as you were expecting…I know, I would LOVE to go to Pokemon High!

KawaiiCherryBlosson-aka-BWF: Once again thanks for reviewing, I love your feedback! I am SO glad you think Ash and Misty are in character, I've been trying really hard to keep them like they're meant to be. So glad you're enjoying this!

Pokeshipper101: Thanks for the review, I am always glad to hear someone is enjoying my work!

Texas Longhorn: Thanks, TL! I know, I realized that if they didn't already know each other then I couldn't include all their arguments and stuff, and that's just boring. It's funny, I'm already a Bulbapedia addict and its been so useful already, especially for battle scenes. And as for watching the TV series I'd really like to find time to watch all the episodes that have Misty in them but I guess that might never happen!

HighQueen: Hey! Thanks for the review, so glad you're reading this one :D

Arysd: Thanks for reviewing! Haha its an honor to bring anyone back to Pokeshipping…and Ash's ego will be getting a pasting, don't worry :D

And to all those who reviewed Chapter One, thanks again!

Song Inspiration: Tangled Up In Me by Skye Sweetnam. Misty's song.

'You wanna know more, more about me,

Gotta know reverse psychology,

I'm the reason why you can't get to sleep,

I'm the girl you never get just quite what you see…'


	4. The Boys Are Back

Chapter Four: The Boys Are Back

Misty and Dawn pushed through the crowds of Trainers, discussing their battle as they tried to reach the doors.

'That was awesome, Misty!' Dawn enthused. 'You've trained your Starmie really well.'

'You did pretty great yourself,' Misty remarked. 'Your Piplup is so cute!'

Dawn grinned. 'Thanks!' she replied, watching as Misty shot a last glance towards Rock Field Three and resisting the urge to follow suit - Ash and Paul were only halfway into an intense battle. He won't miss me, Misty told herself.

Misty and Dawn made their way to the lunchroom, deep in conversation about their Pokemon and the moves used in their battle. They were rounding a corner when a boy with spiky brown hair appeared from nowhere and pushed past Misty roughly, barely bothering to alter his course to avoid her. Misty whipped around.

'Hey, watch it!' she snapped at his rapidly retreating back.

The boy stopped dead. He turned slowly to face her, a haughtily incredulous look on his handsome face. His mouth was already forming an insult, but the words were lost when he focused on Misty's face for the first time. His expression showed shock before flicking to something unreadable.

Misty was already regretting her outburst. Leaving Ash behind hadn't exactly lifted her spirits, but she didn't want to be known at Pokemon High as the girl with the temper. With a start, she realized she knew exactly who her assailant was.

'Uh, I'm sorry, I -'

'Oh no,' the boy said hurriedly. '_I'm _sorry. I didn't mean to be so rude. I didn't hurt you, did I?' he asked, his face concerned.

Dawn's jaw almost hit the ground.

The boy crossed his arms and eyed the dumbstruck Misty speculatively.

'Well, well, well, Ash's little friend turned out well, didn't she?' he murmured seductively.

Misty started. She hadn't expected him to recognize her – after all, Gary Oak had barely acknowledged her existence in the years she had traveled with Ash.

'I saw your picture in the paper and I recognized your name,' he continued, reading her mind. 'Think you could hook me up with some VIP seats for your show? I'd love to see you perform…I reckon you'd be the _best _out of all your sisters, if you know what I mean,' he smirked.

Misty's lip curled in disgust. Gary might be used to girls throwing themselves at his feet but Misty was no average girl - his playboy act didn't impress her.

'Sorry, we save those for_ real _VIPs - but I might get you a free ticket of you offered to clean the Magikarp tank for us,' Misty shot back coolly.

Gary looked taken aback by her sudden offensive, but Misty was too incensed to care. His eyes narrowed, gleaming with the challenge.

'I'd sooner buy your little stadium out than do that, sweetheart,' he chuckled smoothly. 'As much as I'm enjoying this, I have to go – but I'll see you around,' he finished intensely, his sharp blue eyes boring into her. Misty suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.

'See you,' she replied, tossing him a throwback smile before spinning on her heel and walking away.

She was steaming as she and Dawn walked in silence down the now deserted hall. She hated it when guys made plays for her, and Gary's sickening attitude was enough to put any self respecting, secretly in love girl off her lunch. Misty didn't notice that Dawn was gazing at her openmouthed, clearly deciding not to comment on Gary as she tactfully asked Misty about her afternoon class. The two girls were chatting away like old friends as they filed into the lunch room, lining up to grab their food.

'Misty!' a voice from behind them exclaimed.

Whirling around, Misty looked straight into May Maple's beaming face.

'May!' she exclaimed as they embraced. 'How did you know it was me?'

'I heard the Cerulean Gym Leader had gone undercover as a student, and I figured it had to be you! What are you doing here? Have you seen Ash yet? He'll be so excited!'

'Oh she's seen Ash alright,' Dawn put in smoothly.

Misty flushed. 'I met him in the hall and he didn't even recognize me!'

May grinned. 'I don't blame him – have you looked in a mirror recently?'

Misty grinned reluctantly but Dawn was eyeing May shrewdly.

'You look pretty pleased with yourself. You beat Drew?' she guessed.

May giggled.

'Nah, but I beat Conway, and Drew lost to Kenny, of all people!' she snickered gleefully.

'Hey, he's trying!'

'Whatever, Deedee!'

Dawn scowled as she scanned the lunchroom.

'Ash isn't here yet…you wanna sit with us, Misty?'

Misty gladly acquiesced and the conversation rolled as they headed to a lunch table right in the center of the room.

'So who's Drew?' Misty couldn't resist asking.

'He's only the biggest jerk in this place,' May growled fiercely, gritting her teeth furiously as her pretty face screwed up with temper.

'Yeah, and May's had a crush on him for like, forever!' Dawn put in, rolling her eyes.

May looked incensed, her face turning purple with indignation as she began to splutter. Dawn sighed impatiently, turning towards Misty.

'He's her biggest rival – that's why she won't admit it!' Dawn explained, grinning. 'He's this month's Champion, but he knocked May out of the top spot to get there!' Misty couldn't stop herself from giggling as May shot daggers at her friend, glancing around nervously to check that this Drew wasn't in teasing distance.

'You're one to talk about not admitting it,' May began loudly. 'What about freakin' -'

Dawn slapped her hand over May's mouth before she could blurt it out so loud the whole lunchroom would hear.

'There's a fossilized Kabuto in the Orange Islands that didn't hear that, May!' she hissed at her loudmouth friend, scowling.

'…Paul?' May finished quietly, grinning.

Dawn flushed as she glanced at Misty, who suddenly became very interested in her sandwich.

'Speaking of jerks, Misty's already had the pleasure of renewing her acquaintance with Gary Oak,' Dawn remarked, turning back to May.

'You've already had a run in with Gary?' May questioned, amazed.

'It was weird – I always suspected he paid those cheerleaders that trailed him round Kanto but clearly he's used to girls tripping over themselves to talk to him.' Misty pondered over the arrogant boy. Those cold blue eyes… 'Wait…Gary doesn't have a twin, does he?' she gasped.

'He has a sister called Daisy, but she's not his twin,' May said helpfully.

'Yeah, she's actually a year older than Gary – her birthday fell short of the cutoff date by just a few weeks. Apparently she used to be a Coordinator but for some reason she switched to Training.' Dawn pulled a face. 'You've met her?'

Misty grimaced slightly.

'You could say that!' she joked, but was saved from sharing details when a tall, dark haired boy wandered up to their table.

Misty noticed that the circular table at which they sat was quite small, though it was in the center of the room. Everyone who passed stopped to say hello and many stayed to stand by and chat, but no one seemed to expect an invitation to sit down.

Dawn noticed Misty staring after Conway as he ambled away, looking just a little confused.

'We like to have lunchtimes to ourselves,' Dawn clarified quietly.

'But you're the new and only exception,' May said firmly before Misty could feel awkward, and Dawn nodded, grinning. 'We're just glad to get to hang out with Ash's best friend after all he's told us about you!'

Misty went crimson, choosing to ignore the last part. 'Thanks, guys,' she said gratefully. 'I would have been lost today without you!'

'And without Ash,' Dawn said slyly with a significant glance at May.

Misty almost choked on her lemonade.

*****

Ash barged into the lunchroom, pushing Paul aside so he could get through the door first.

'Watch it, Ash!' Paul grumbled. Though various events at Pokemon High had put their longstanding rivalry to death, losing to Ash still wasn't Paul's idea of fun.

Ash didn't hear – he was too busy scanning the lunchroom anxiously, trying to get a glimpse of that beautiful ocher hair. He was glad when he caught sight of her with May and Dawn – for some reason he had pictured a whole crowd of boys surrounding her lunch table, and for some reason that idea made him want to rip somebody's head off.

Ash started over but Paul grabbed the back of his shirt hurriedly.

'Play it cool,' he hissed.

Ash turned to scowl at his friend but he grudgingly admitted to himself that perhaps Paul was right. He reluctantly followed Paul to the lunch counter, shooting furtive glances to where she sat. Drew was already at their usual table.

'What now?' Paul questioned irritably as he thumped his tray down on the table and settled in his chair. Drew's face was furious. Ash groaned inwardly as he dropped heavily into his seat. May had to have something to do with this.

'I lost to Kenny today, which was no big deal 'cause I was training my new Eevee!' Drew burst out angrily. 'I wasn't _expecting _to win! But Little Miss Perfectbeat Conway – like _that's_ hard – and she passed me on the way out and didn't say anything, just looked at me, smirking all over her snotty face!' Drew ripped his sandwich in two savagely, grinding his teeth together in frustration.

Paul looked unimpressed.

'Dude, when are you just going to admit you like her?' he asked conversationally, fiddling with his can of Coke. Ash choked on his hotdog at the hypocrisy of such a statement.

'What?!' Drew howled indignantly, drawing more than his usual admiring stares.

'Keep that up and the whole of Kanto will know!' Ash smirked. He loved seeing his overconfident friend so stumped by a girl – it was entertaining.

Drew slammed his fist down on the table.

'Let me get this straight,' he snapped vehemently, his cheeks flushing furiously. 'I wouldn't care if that stuck up little know-it-all never showed her face in Pokemon High again, get it? Never in a million years!' He demonstrated his point by ripping a bag of chips open so fiercely it exploded all over his tray.

'Nice,' Paul remarked sarcastically as Drew groaned, picking chips out of his chocolate pudding.

Ash used the momentary distraction to try and get a glimpse of Misty without his friends noticing. Unfortunately for Ash, his lack of subtlety struck again.

'What the heck are you doing, Ash?' Drew said in surprise, popping a chocolate covered chip in his mouth. 'You keep twitching your head and rolling your eyes about and stuff – have you finally lost it? Or is Daisy Oak on your trail again?' Drew sniggered at his own joke.

Ash opened his mouth to reply, but Paul was too quick.

'Oh, he's just looking at a _girl,_' Paul smirked.

Drew gaped at Ash, his mouth hanging open.

'WHO?' he demanded.

'Shhhh!' Ash hissed furiously.

'The new girl – she's sitting with your dearest May,' Paul informed Drew.

'Not to mention _your_ precious Dawn,' Ash snapped defensively as Drew whipped around to stare. Paul glowered at him.

'How do you know her anyway?' Drew asked, still gazing at the three girls.

'She was my first traveling companion – the one who fished me out of the lake, remember?'

'Wait, _that's _the scrawny redhead with the attitude problem you talk about all the time?'

'The very one…hey, I don't talk about her _all _the time!'

'Every five minutes counts as 'all the time', Ash,' Paul cut in acidly.

'She sure is gorgeous,' Drew stated matter-of-factly. Ash growled. Drew ignored that and fixed his gleaming emerald eyes on Ash.

'Spill,' he commanded.

There was no escape. With a groan, Ash plunged into the story of how he had met Misty in the hall, ending up recounting their battle and even explaining that her Gym Leader status had apparently never changed. By the end of the story Drew was gaping at him and even Paul had forgotten to look uninterested in Ash's escapades, though Ash had already 'bored' him with most of the story.

'So are you going to talk to her again?' Drew questioned eagerly.

Ash shrugged. 'Of course!'

Drew leaned back in his chair, shooting a casual glance at the three girls.

'Of course she would end up friends with those two,' he muttered to himself.

'She's already met May…ah!' Ash pounced. 'Why do you care? You do like her!'

Drew grimaced, muttering things like 'crazy' and 'never in a million years' under his breath – but he didn't try to deny it.

'I thought so,' Paul said smugly.

Ash shot Paul a withering look which his friend pointedly ignored.

When Ash next turned, he saw that Misty and her new friends had disappeared. His disappointment must have showed on his face.

'Hey man, if she's a Gym Leader I bet she has Advanced Training with us now,' Drew offered sympathetically.

Paul looked torn between irritation and amusement.

'Well, let's find out,' he stated, pushing back his chair and heading for the door.

*****

Misty sank into her chair beside Dawn, trying to avoid Gary Oak's roving eye as she concentrated on pulling out her books. The Headmaster only taught students with exceptional skills so it was no surprise that Misty had found herself in his small class. His grandson was seated at a corner table with his charming sister and a group of her friends, all of whom were hanging on the boy as if he were some sort of divine being. That kind of behavior always irked Misty and the fact that Gary was still trying to get her attention despite the flock of females cooing over him only aggravated her further.

She entertained herself briefly by thinking up ways that would ensure Gary _never _eyed her again but she lost interest in potential ways to torture him as her thoughts drifted to Ash. She had seen him come into the cafeteria and as much as she didn't want to admit it, she was disappointed that he hadn't come to talk to her. You're expecting too much, she told herself fiercely. It's been so long. Just give it a little time.

She was so busy giving herself a mental pep talk that she almost didn't notice as the door snapped open and Ash burst in through the door. He was followed closely by the two boys she had seen him with at lunch. The taller one who was rolling his eyes looked vaguely familiar.

'Hey Misty!' Ash said eagerly as he approached the table.

'Hey Ash!' she beamed back. He shoved his hands into his pockets, looking a little awkward as May and Dawn smiled at him knowingly. 'Uhhh, did you win your second battle?' Misty ventured.

Ash grinned sheepishly. 'Yeah I did, actually. How about you?'

'She beat me,' Dawn cut in good-naturedly.

Ash chuckled. 'Oh, so that's how you two met! Did she send that monster Gyarados on your Piplup, Dawn?'

Misty's outraged defense of her Pokemon was cut off by Dawn's stunned response.

'You have a _Gyarados?_' she gasped. Her face fell. 'Man, you flattened me without even using your best Pokemon!' she groaned.

Misty smirked at the grinning black haired boy. 'Don't feel bad, Dawn, you weren't the _only _person I flattened today. Ash, I was thinking…since I drew with the Champion doesn't that make _me _Champion too???'

Ash huffed, crossing his arms. 'You did _not _flatten me,' he sniffed. 'And you'll have to beat me in the Intraschool Tournament if you want my title, Misty, and I doubt that will ever happen!'

She cocked an eyebrow. 'We'll just see about that, Mr. Wannabe Pokemon Master!'

Ash spluttered at the derogatory term. He drew himself up to his full height, ready to spit out some glacial comeback that would prove once and for all that he was smarter than her.

'Well…well Pokemon Masters are better than Gym Leaders!' he snapped.

Misty looked at him like he's grown an extra head. Then she burst out laughing, along with May and Dawn, who up until that moment had been pretending not to listen to their continued conversation.

Ash could hear Drew sniggering behind him and he could just picture Paul's disapproving face. He felt his face go warm as he attempted to conjure up a remark that would balance out the idiocy of his first try.

But then she smiled at him – that devilish, taunting smile that she always wore when she was about to win one of their verbal sparring matches. He hadn't seen that smile in so long…his concentration wavered.

It was like stage fright. He was all too aware of Drew kicking him in the back of the ankle in an attempt to get him to speak but Ash was faced with the unthinkable – for the first time in his life he could not think of a single thing to say. And then there was the nagging voice at the back of his head, rudely asking _why _he suddenly felt so nervy around Misty.

She was still smiling at him but it wasn't the smile that drove him crazy any more. It was the one she had given him back in the hall, when they had first met – the one that made him weak at the knees.

So as he was starting to feel very, very stupid, he did what he always did when he felt awkward - he spoke without thinking.

'Can I sit down?' he blurted out.

Four pairs of eyes instantly fixed Ash with death glares of varying intensity.

'Uhhh…sure!' Misty stuttered, taken aback. She hadn't seen _that _one coming – where was his usual lame attempt to cover up his blunder?

It was then that she noticed that there were three free chairs around the table, and Ash's two friends, who had started off hovering awkwardly near the door, were now practically peering over their friend's shoulder. She shot apologetic glances at May and Dawn as the two boys marched round the table unasked, following Ash's lead and swinging into the free chairs, but the two girls were too busy glaring at the new arrivals to notice. Misty turned to scrutinize the two young men herself and found their respective expressions confused her – the taller one looked decidedly stony faced but the cocky looking one with the green hair's face was alight with malevolent delight.

'Misty, this is Drew and Paul,' Ash introduced. Misty's insides lurched. Those names were eerily familiar.

'Wassup, girl?' Drew grinned, raising his hand in greeting.

'Hello,' Paul mumbled. He was in the seat opposite Dawn but was ignoring her completely, choosing to stare over her head than look at her. Drew, however, had seemingly forgotten his earlier annoyance with May now that he was back within teasing distance.

'Hey May,' Drew drawled theatrically. May glared at him.

'Hey Drew,' she mocked. 'Like loosing to Kenny?'

Drew snapped back something about his Eevee and within seconds the two rivals were squabbling. Dawn was shooting Paul furtive glances – he looked positively murderous. Dawn wisely decided now was not the time to provoke him.

Misty could have kicked herself. How on earth had she not recognized the grumpy looking boy she had caught Dawn ogling at earlier? May hadn't mentioned anything about Drew being one of Ash's friends…Misty shot Ash a guilty glance but her friend was too busy watching the half silent, half bickering quartet with a resentful look on his face. Misty guessed that Ash wasn't happy about the lack of friendly cooperation between his best friends. She wondered how long the stubborn group in front of her could go on denying that which was so painfully obvious but she couldn't help feeling that she had made things worse by accidentally forcing her new friends into this situation. Ash sighed, opening his mouth to speak to her but stopped short as Professor Oak strolled into the classroom.

'Greetings, class!' he began. May and Drew shut up instantly. 'Before we continue our study of Psychic Attacks, I have prepared a short piece of poetry to inspire you.' He beamed round at the class. 'Ahh, Miss Waterflower! So glad you are here!' he exclaimed.

'Er, thanks, Professor,' Misty replied, suppressing a grin.

'Now, I hope you are all sitting comfortably, so we can begin…'

The Professor rambled on, but Gary Oak – not for the first time – wasn't listening to a word his grandfather said. He had watched Ash's entrance and unexpected subsequent request with the greatest of interest, concluding that he had never seen his greatest rival act so. Who could have known that Ash's scrawny little traveling companion would turn out so fine? Back in his traveling days Gary had never realized that Ash's hotheaded tomboy friend was actually a Gym Leader but if anything that only increased her now inescapable appeal – and according to Daisy she was now a fully fledged Sensational Sister. Best of all…well, scoring a girl as hot as Misty would have been a victory in itself, but snatching her out from under Ashy boy's fumbling, inexperienced, lovesick gaze…that was a whole other matter.

And judging by the look of spitting jealousy on his sister's face, he wouldn't have trouble finding an accomplice.

*****

So excited to have this chapter up! It's my favorite so far, I hope you enjoyed it. And once again, please review and tell what you think so far, especially since we see a lot more of May, Dawn, Drew, Paul and Gary in this chapter. I love how they're portrayed here but sorry again for any OOCness.

I'm conducting a reader poll – should I rewrite the third chapter so Misty wins? It would still be a close battle but part of me thinks Misty deserved to win. Or should I leave it as a draw? You decide :D

If you think its unlikely that Misty would have forgotten Paul so soon, don't – as a former new girl I know for a fact you don't remember anyone on your first day. I'm not a Dawn hater but I firmly believe Misty is better. Also if you think this should be T rated (for Gary's little comment) please let me know.

And in case you're wondering, my favorite Pokemon are Gyarados, Vaporeon and Rapidash.

Song Inspiration: Baby's Got A Temper by The Prodigy. Warning, this song is not for kids.

'This baby's got a temper…you'll never tame her…'

Review Responses:

Thank you SO much to everyone who is reviewing this story, it is much appreciated! So glad you're all enjoying this :D

_AzureKite4: _Sorry I didn't include the battle between Misty and Dawn but believe me, there will be plenty of battles before this is over. And yeah, Misty caught Dawn in a rare absent moment!

_Fire Drastar:_ Well done for guessing about Pikachu, I guess that makes you smarter than Ash…and we'll see more of the jealously between Daisy and Misty!

_Mystic Mage-chan: _Don't worry, there's no hint of Pearlshipping in this story…glad you're enjoying!

_KawaiiCherryBlossom-aka-BWF: _You know you rock :D

_MiddleNameDanger:_ Hmm, I hadn't really thought…if he makes an appearance it will be a cameo, sort of like Kenny and Conway in this chappy. Glad you're reading!

_Ronmione X3: _Wooo, so glad you enjoyed the battle scene…and I really can't take redit for knowing my attacks, I'm a Bulbapedia addict! I'm really glad you're reviewing this one cause I've noticed your reviews on other stories cause you have an unusual name for someone reviewing Pokemon fanficiton! I'm a HP fan too :D

_.xXRuthieCutieXx.: _Glad you're enjoying, update will be soon!

_Cara Miro: _As I've explained to some of my readers, this fic was originally based on HSM. Then I changed the entire structure of the story (ie made it fit with the canon) and I guess the song titles are a nod to the original storyline. Beware of fanfiction, its an addiction! Glad you're enjoying!

_HighQueen: _As you can see, I thought a LOT about your review and it was you who first made me think that perhaps Misty deserved to win. I guess my readers will decide! Thank you for that, that's exactly the sort of feedback I really need. And I'm with you, I like the old Pokemon best. And there will be _plenty _more AAML chemistry before this is over :D

_Texas Longhorn: _TL! I am an Ash fan and I agree – I think it's unrealistic when authors make him lose badly to Misty. After all, he's shooting to for the Master title which is way above the Gym Leader status. Glad you're enjoying!

_Arysd: _Good job with guessing the tie, though that may change…I love Gyarados too, its one of my faves. And in this story I see no point in Misty and Dawn hating each other's guts – and Misty didn't hate May in the anime. We will see that Misty is glad that Dawn has another crush tho! XD


	5. Stick To The Status Quo

Hey readers! This chapter is dedicated to Texas Longhorn, for being such a nice person. He used a description of Misty from my 'Accidentally in Love" story in his (awesome) fic named 'A New Journey.' He claims I'm his greatest enemy and that he was drunk when reviewing this story but I like to think he was joking :D Thanks TL!

Chapter Five: Stick To The Status Quo

Ash was glad when Drew and Paul disappeared quickly after the class was over. He didn't know which was worse - listening to yet another argument about who was the better Coordinator or observing a very pointed silence between two frosty faced teenagers. Needless to say, Ash wasn't harboring very charitable thoughts towards his friends. It irked him how easily their problems could be solved but bound to secrecy on all sides Ash was not at liberty to point out the obvious solution. Luckily May and Dawn didn't feel the need to hang around either, leaving him to walk Misty out after saying kind farewells to their new friend.

Ash and Misty pushed through the crush towards the doors that led to freedom. Ash furtively studied the girl beside him; she looked tired after her first day. He debated putting of his request until a more fitting time but decided that putting the idea out there couldn't hurt. He found himself rehearsing what to say as they drew to a stop outside the vast building.

As he smiled at her Ash was glad to discover that the awkwardness he had felt back in Advanced Training had all but disappeared as they drew to a halt outside Pokemon High. She smiled back, preparing to say her goodbyes but Ash cut her off.

'Misty, it's been so long since we've seen each other…you wanna come to my house this evening and we can catch up? I'll get you back to Cerulean and I know my mom would love to see you, she talks about you all the time…' He trailed off as her face fell.

'Ash, I would love to but I really can't. I've got rehearsal all week and Daisy'll string me up if I miss them, I swear she cares about the Water Shows almost as much as she cares about her hairdo…'

'You're working on a new Water Show?' he asked, puzzled that she would allow herself to get dragged into another of her sister's plans.

'Something like that,' she replied cryptically, looking depressed at the mere thought.

Ash raised an eyebrow.

'Long story,' she added hastily.

'Well, shall we say Friday? You can stay the night if you want, whatever suits, and we could go visit Tracey if he's not busy.'

Her eyes lit up, a perfect smile appearing on her face. 'Yeah! That would be great, I'd love to! I can't stay the night cause I'm on Gym duty this Saturday but Friday would be perfect.'

Ash grinned as well. 'Great! I can't wait!'

He didn't notice how much she blushed at his words.

'So how are you getting home, Mist? The Cerulean Gym's not exactly on the next block – are your sisters coming to get you or something?' he said, staring stupidly around as if expecting one of the older Waterflower sisters to appear out from behind a bush.

Misty sighed, watching Ash with growing amusement as she seriously considered blowing rehearsals and suffering the wrath of Daisy. 'I'm taking the train. I've even got a Frequent Traveler card like an old person!'

He laughed again. 'You need a ride to the station?'

'A ride?' She looked puzzled. 'Ash, have you actually joined the modern world and bought a car?'

He scowled at her and reached for one of his favorite Pokeballs, tossing it jerkily front of him. 'Charizard is way better than a dumb old car, Misty,' he replied heatedly as the flash of red light sculpted itself into of one of his most loyal Pokemon. The Fire type recognized Misty, roaring its approval as she stepped close enough to greet it.

'Wow, Charizard, you've gotten so big! I guess all that training at the Charific Valley paid off, huh?' Charizard snorted its assent, a puff of smoke billowing out of its nostrils.

'He's more than capable of carrying two,' Ash said proudly, patting his Pokemon's neck. 'We can drop you at the station if you want.'

For a fraction of a second she seemed to hesitate but then she smiled easily.

'Nah, don't worry Ash, I'll walk,' she replied casually.

Ash frowned. 'But Misty, its -'

'It's no big deal, Ash, I can handle it,' she answered in a sharper voice, her smile fading rapidly.

He nodded, knowing that it was no good to try and press her further. He never understood it when she acted like this but he never tried to dig a little deeper to find out – something told him what he would find would scare the life out of him. 'Then I guess I'll see you tomorrow, huh?' he hazarded.

Her face softened considerably. 'Yeah, I'll see you then, Ash,' she grinned, punching him lightly on the arm. He looked at her strangely and just for a second Misty could have sworn he was about to hug her. But that thrilling notion quickly disappeared as he pushed her rather roughly back, grinning mischievously as he leapt onto Charizard's back and out of reach of her flailing fists.

'Bye, Misty!' he yelled gaily as the huge Pokemon powered itself off the ground and into the skies.

'I'll get you for that, Ketchum!' She laughed, waving as Charizard swooped around and her heart leapt as she saw him wave briefly before the Fire Type disappeared over the top of Pokemon High. Her hand dropped languidly as Ash's whoop of joy echoed behind him and sighing, she shifted her bag on her shoulders in preparation for the ten minute walk ahead of her.

Fifteen minutes later she was wedged comfortably in her seat on the almost empty train, resting her head against the cool glass of the window. It was only when the scenery began to rush past the window that she allowed herself to chastise her own pig headedness.

Her stubborn, proud streak that detested pity and resented the reception of help had been the only thing preventing her from accepting Ash's friendly offer. It was a relic of her childhood as the youngest sister, borne out of many years of being downtrodden and rejected. Self protection had evolved into independence and though it was a quality she valued in herself she knew that at times like this it worked against her. And then there was Ash – their longstanding rivalry, when added to the tangle of hidden emotions she cherished towards him, meant that accepting his help was something that had always been intolerable. Asking – or demanding – his help was one thing, but receiving his rare acts of kindness was something she had never learned to do with grace. So more often than not, she preferred to refuse him.

She knew it was ridiculous that receiving her best friend's help should be so difficult, especially when she cared about him so much. When she looked at it objectively she could hardly believe her own stupidity – the guy she was secretly in love with had just offered her a ride. After all, according to every girl movie she'd ever been coerced into watching, when a guy friend offered you a ride it was simply a ruse to allow him to confess his passionate love when he walked you to your front door. But this was Ash Ketchum – a romantic hero he was not.

She allowed her thoughts to wander to her most beloved friend. She had been choking with excitement to see him and it had stung fiercely when he hadn't even recognized her, but his subsequent behavior had quelled most of her fears that he had forgotten her. And anything was worth seeing his dazed expression when he had come to offer his help to a lost new girl – but that was the problem. Misty knew he'd never have looked at her like that if he'd known he was facing his long lost best friend. Misty sighed. She'd known Ash for almost eight years and he'd never shown even a flicker of interest in her. Clinging to something that wasn't there only made a bad situation worse.

All the same, maybe the makeover Violet had insisted upon had been worth it.

Misty forced her thoughts away from Ash and began to dwell on her new friends. May was as nice as ever and Dawn seemed really friendly and…well, Misty was so relieved that she could hardly have found Dawn nasty if she'd tried.

Misty hated to think about it but she had spent many sleepless nights worrying after she had found out that Ash was traveling with another girl. She had been far too relieved when she'd heard May had taken off to Johto alone but just when she'd started to breathe easy again Brock had mentioned Dawn. Though he had assured Misty that Dawn was several years younger than Ash, Misty had continued to angst over the existence of yet another girl in Ash's life. But seeing them around Drew and Paul…well, it looked like she didn't have much to worry about after. She felt the relief spread deliciously through her veins – Ash might still be clueless but at least she wasn't about to see him with another girl.

*****

He had tried counting Mareep. He had tried counting his badges, counting Team Rocket's wacky machines, counting the women Brock had hit on in the last year (too many to count) but it was no use – Ash couldn't get to sleep. He stared somewhat jealously at Pikachu, who was dozing contentedly on the foot of his bed, its cheeks sparking slightly as it dreamed. Ash turned over and sighed, vainly screwing his eyes shut. He couldn't understand it - intense Pokemon battles usually left him drained and his battle with Misty had taken more out of him than he would have liked to admit.

Misty. Ever since their fateful meeting in the hall Ash hadn't been able to get her off his mind.

He sat up in bed irritably, knowing it was useless to try and force sleep on himself. Switching on his lamp he reached up to the shelf above his bed and withdrew a battered issue of _Pokemon Weekly. _It was a special Water issue from a few years back, and he had spent the afternoon sifting through stacks of back issues to find it. He passed over the Staryu emblazoned on the front cover and began rifling through the pages eagerly.Eventually, after much impatient flicking, he found the right section. A large color picture filled the left hand page. It was of a girl several years younger than him, grinning somewhat sheepishly up at the camera with laughing green eyes that seemed full of mischievous secrets. The headline blazed 'The Youngest and Most Sensational of All' in white letters.

Ash stared at the picture, remembering with acute clarity the differences between the girl in the photo and the girl he had met in the hallway. He should have known that his connection with that mysterious redhead had been more than physical attraction – after all, Pokemon High was coming down with pretty girls and he had never had the slightest inclination to talk to any of them. He remembered the unexpected surge of emotions he had felt when he discovered her identity – the strange thing was, I was even _happier _when I found out it was Misty, Ash thought. He turned to matter over in his head, rapidly concluding that it was indeed suspicious that he had been so pleased to see her. Shifting over in bed he untangled his right hand from the sheets, examining it in the dim light as if expecting to see a visible sign of the searing sensation he had experienced when his hand touched hers.

Something weird is going on, Ash thought reflectively as he drifted off to sleep, one hand still clutching the precious magazine.

*****

The next day Ash almost sprinted through the doors of Pokemon High. He had never been early for school before – his mother had demanded an explanation for his extraordinary behavior, convinced he was up to no good.

Ash strode quickly down the halls, saying brief hellos to those he passed. He stopped short outside Professor Ivy's room, looking up and down the quiet corridor before peering in through the open door. A perfunctory glance round the room told him that Misty was definitely not there. He looked up at the clock, dispirited. It _was _a little early, he supposed. Ash decided his only option was to retreat to his own homeroom and hope to bump into her after class. He slouched back towards Professor Birch's room, surprised to see how many people were already there.

'Hey Ash,' Paul drawled. 'Nice not having to run to class, isn't it?'

'What happened, your house catch fire?' Drew smirked.

Ash didn't bother replying. He just scowled as he swung into his chair, Pikachu dropping from the top of his head onto his desk.

'Why the long face? Your girl not show or something?' Drew asked densely.

At the back of the room, May and Dawn instantly stopped gossiping and leaned forward to listen.

Ash scowled deeper. 'She's not my girl,' he growled. 'So shut up!'

'She's not your girl _yet,_' Drew consoled, patting his shoulder.

Ash groaned in frustration, slumping forwards onto Pikachu. The Electric Pokemon's cheeks sparked dangerously.

At that moment, the door of the classroom swung open and Misty peered in hesitantly.

May and Dawn exchanged a delighted glance. 'Hey Misty!' they chorused happily.

Ash's head snapped up so fast he cricked his neck.

'Hey May! Hey Dawn!' she called as she stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. Ash noticed how her hair swished out behind her as she moved.

'Hey Misty!' he said faintly, standing up so quickly he almost tipped his chair over. Drew sniggered but Ash ignored him.

'Hey Ash!' she replied cheerfully, smiling at him.

'Over here, Misty!' Dawn called casually, pointing at the seat beside her.

'Dawn, that's Gary's seat!' May hissed anxiously as Misty made her way towards them.

'If Gary's little play yesterday is anything to go by, she could slap his smirking face and it wouldn't annoy him,' she replied quietly, grinning. 'Anyways, this gives Ash and Misty a little more quality time together!'

They both turned to watch the pair - Misty was blushing furiously as she dropped into the seat conveniently situated so close to Ash. She glanced suspiciously at her new friends - their innocent faces didn't fool her for a second.

'I thought you were in Professor Ivy's homeroom!' Ash blurted out as he plopped back into his seat, twisting around to face her.

Misty grinned. 'I had to get all my Pokemon checked by Nurse Joy before I could come to class yesterday but I was just about to walk into the wrong room when the bell rang!'

Ash grinned cockily. 'Still without a sense of direction then?'

Misty scoffed. 'You're the one that got us lost in about a million bug filled forests when we were young!'

'You're one to talk! You did all the complaining and none of the work!

'Ha! At least I didn't read the map upside down all the time!'

'Did not!'

'Did too!'

'DID NOT!'

'DID TOO!'

Their four friends watched the scene unfold with growing horror.

'I thought he liked her!' Drew hissed to Paul, indicating the two teenagers hollering at each other. 'Surely this isn't normal!'

'That's exactly what you and May do, idiot!' Paul snapped back.

'Shut _up!' _Drew growled, glancing hurriedly at the object of his affections to check she hadn't overheard. However, May seemed too preoccupied to eavesdrop as she was watching Ash and Misty with her mouth open

'I told you this was a bad idea!' May murmured.

Dawn had gone a little pale. 'Ok, fine, I'll admit it, I thought you were exaggerating about the fighting thing…I just hope she doesn't have that mallet Ash told us about…'

The two girls were saved from further speculation as Pikachu decided to take matters into its own paws.

'PIKA-CHUUUU!!!!!'

'AARRGHHH!' the arguing pair yelled simultaneously from the sudden shock, the smoke rising in cloud as they slumped on Misty's desk together. With a groan Ash opened his eyes groggily, shooting up in his chair as she realized Misty's face was inches from his own. His friend and opponent reluctantly lifted her head, rubbing her blackened face and warily fixing those eyes on him.

'Ugh, how come you're alright, Ash?' she snapped acidly as she tried to fix her frazzled hair.

Ash shrugged cockily, whipping off his hat and trying to smooth his more than unusually untidy hair. 'After almost eight years I guess I'm used to it, though Pikachu never has to shock me except when you're around!'

She leveled him a cold stare but Ash could see the anxiety in her eyes. When she saw him smiling she grinned sheepishly herself, chuckling wryly as she wiped her blackened face with the palm of her hand. Resisting the unexpected urge to smooth her hair himself, Ash knew he couldn't deny it - he loved arguing with Misty. It always left him fired up and powerful, like he could take on the world and win - and no one could argue with him like she could. And though every eye in the room was upon them Ash found he didn't care if the whole world watched them argue. That was just what they did and he couldn't see how it was anyone else's business how he related to his best friend. He knew it was already all over Pokemon High that he and the 'new girl' were together, the idea sparked after their side by side stroll down the hall yesterday – though he doubted that any witnesses of he and Misty's most recent clash could believe they were even _friends._

'I'm glad you're in this homeroom,' he mutters, grinning sheepishly.

She gave him that look that always left him stumped – the one that made him fervently believe she could read his mind.

'So am I, Ash.'

He twisted back round in his seat, ignoring the quiet in the room and smiling as he felt a warmth blossom in his chest. But before he could examine the feeling more closely the door of the classroom snapped open and Gary Oak sauntered in, his sister and her clones close behind.

Daisy shot Misty a filthy look and flounced over to her seat. Gary, however, was utterly unfazed when he saw Misty in his place. He walked past Ash without a second glance and for a moment Ash was afraid he was going to order Misty out of his seat. However, Ash received a far more unpleasant shock when Gary opened his mouth; Ash froze, his expression mingling bewilderment and fury as he listened to his rival's unexpected sweet talk.

'Looking fine today as usual, Miss Misty,' Gary commented smoothly, using the airy, over friendly tone of the day before. Misty sighed, already fed up with her cocky admirer – there was nothing more irritating than a boy she didn't like interrupting her thoughts about the boy she _did _like. She quickly resolved to be nicer to Gary than she had been the day before – but not _too _nice.

'Hello Gary,' she replied with formal politeness.

Gary flashed a cocky, blinding white smile.'Glad to see me?'

'I'd be glad if you left me alone, actually,' Misty said sharply, her resolution falling away at the speed of light. There was something about Gary's manner that left her beyond her usual irritation with a playboy. There was a certain insincerity in his words that left her wondering what exactly his reasons were for hitting on her.

'You're a sharp one, aren't you?'

'Sarcasm is one of the many services I offer,' Misty replied acidly, crossing her arms to indicate that as far as she was concerned, their conversation was over. Gary raised an eyebrow, a slimy smirk spreading over his face like poison.

'I know you _put out _services but sarcasm isn't the one I'm interested in_, _gorgeous.'

Misty's mouth dropped open in stupefaction. She felt her face heat up as but before she could slap his face Ash leapt to his feet with a ferocious growl, his face black with temper as he eyeballed the other boy furiously.

'Don't talk to her like that!' he snapped through clenched teeth. Gary chuckled coolly, smirking at the reaction he had predicted in his rival.

'Well, well, well, is Ashy boy getting jealous?' Gary taunted, eyeing Ash's sizzled hair with derision. 'I don't see _her_ complaining about me… but then again, what kind of girl would?'

'I didn't have a chance to say how much I hate you,' Misty put in heatedly, too furious to come up with a smarter remark.

'I think that's your answer, Gary,' Ash snapped, clenching his hands into fists.

Gary laughed superiorly, crossing his arms in a self satisfied manner. 'Whatever, loser. Why don't you give me your seat so your little friend and I can have a private conversation?'

Misty was incensed. 'I'm right here, idiot!' she shrieked, clenching her hands so tightly that her fingernails dug into her palms.

Ash was staring at Gary in overt disbelief.

'You're kidding?' he questioned incredulously.

'Do I look like I'm kidding, Ashy boy?' Gary mocked quietly with acerbic menace, glancing pointedly at Misty.

'No way!' he replied scornfully, forcing his hands into his pockets to keep them under control.

Gary laughed softly, eyeing Ash's expression with smug satisfaction.

'Nice try, Gary,' Paul interjected coldly as he stood up, eyeing Gary sinisterly. He was secretly thankful to Misty for giving him the opportunity to pick a fight with his arrogant defeater. Drew followed suit, cracking his knuckles lightly. Dawn and May were both momentarily distracted from the fray by the deadly serious expressions on the two men's faces.

Ash stood up, leveling Gary a hard, glacial stare as fury bubbled through his veins. Gary had overstepped the line.

'Back off, Gary, or someone's going to get hurt. Namely, you.'

'Calm down, Ashy boy. I would hate to be responsible for giving you permanent brain damage.'

'Oh yeah? Well, if we were to settle this in a Pokemon battle you wouldn't be so sure about it, would you?'

Gary glared at him, the sarcastic humor draining from his face as he gritted his teeth.

'You'll regret that, Ashy boy,' Gary intoned in a menacing voice.

'Bring it, Gary,' Ash replied in an equally dangerous voice, staring down his obnoxious challenger.

The two boys stared at each other for a second longer before Gary let out a hard laugh.

'I'll leave you to moon over your little Misty, Ashy boy, but enjoy it while it lasts.'

Gary cocked an eyebrow at the open mouthed Misty before turning on his heel and striding over to a desk beside the window. It was Kenny's desk, but everyone knew that the young Coordinator would never have the guts to order Gary Oak out of his seat.

Ash was breathing heavily as he dropped into his seat, blood still pumping furiously through his veins and an uncontrollable blush spreading over his face. He didn't dare look at Misty – she hated it when people inferred they were a couple and somehow that age old suggestion left him more awkward than usual.

Misty was stunned silent as she watched Ash sit smartly back down in his chair – she could almost see the steam coming out of his ears. His behavior was so wildly out of character that Misty wondered if her best friend had been abducted by Unown in the middle of the night. The classroom was deathly quiet – too quiet to even whisper her gratitude at being spared the joys of Gary's conversation, but even then her furious blush would have given her away. Misty was uneasy; she wasn't quite sure what was going on between Ash and Gary but obviously it wasn't good.

Ash was glad when Professor Birch strolled into the room, thankfully not commenting on the overtly tense atmosphere. His fists were still balled up in fury. How dareGary try to kick him out of his seat? More importantly, how _dare_ he talk to Misty like that? Ash's blood boiled as he remembered his rival's smarmy remarks. The memory stirred his determination. Misty deserved better than Gary Oak – he would make sure she stayed away from the likes of him. All Gary would ever do was hurt her.

Ash's inward rant against Gary continued as Professor Birch did battle with the class, passing out worksheets and trying to indicate that Pokecare class had started.

To Misty's intense relief, Professor Birch grouped her with the other two girls sitting along the back wall – May and Dawn. Ash, Paul and Drew somehow twisted Professor Birch's arm into letting them work together, and currently they were clustered around Drew's desk, their worksheets forgotten and their heads close together as they carried on an obviously serious conversation. Ash did not look happy.

Kenny and Conway were stuck with Gary, who was staring out of the window, his face twisted in concentration – but he had barely glanced at his assignment. The other two boys carried on working, each flinching occasionally as Gary spat out criticism, not even bothering to turn and look at his victims.

The three girls huddled together in the far corner, each looking somber.

'What was _that _all about?' Misty whispered intently, jerking her head towards the sulky Gary.

May and Dawn exchanged a resigned glance.

'Sure you wanna know?'

'Of course!'

May sighed before plunging into the story.

*****

I hope you all enjoyed Misty's little character development at the start of the chapter – what I like about this chapter is that we see a little of what Ash and Misty really think of each other. I LOVE writing Misty and Gary like this…let's just say things are about to get interesting! This chapter's not perfect but I wanted to go ahead and post it – it went through a lot of changes to get to this point. Once again, please review – if you're reading this I would love to know what you think, and as you can see I take what my reviewers say seriously!

And my readers voted…keep Ash and Misty's draw!

Song Inspiration: Chemicals React by Aly and Aj.

Review Responses:

Eleven reviews…a record! Thank you so much, everyone!

_Texas Longhorn: _Ha, I wish I could update that fast all the time! Yeah the idea of this fic is that we see the characters as just a bunch of teenagers so I'm glad its coming across that way!

_AzureKite4: _I've seen the picture you're talking about, the artist does some great AAML pics. I hope this chapter clears up why Gary is so keen to hit on Misty!

_eevee-love: _Hey! It's always nice to have a new reviewer. Yeah Misty is way to smart to fall for Gary but Gary's got his own plan :D

_Ronmione X3: _So happy you liked the character interactions – I loved the way I had written them but I wasn't sure what my readers would think. I hope it continues in this chapter!

_Rissyychan: _Glad you like the pairings – this is a Pokeshipping story but we you will see the other ships a lot as well. Glad you don't think they're OOC!

_HighQueen: _Haha I included the line about Misty being champion just for you! Hmm not sure about any other one sided ships for the more minor characters. I'm not sure I'll have the space to fit that in, though I would love to…maybe I'll drop a few hints for you though! And I love your avatar :D

_Arysd: _I love Gary as well. It almost pains me to write him like this though it's so much fun! And I agree – Misty's the only girl that can give playboy Gary a run for his money!

_Fire Drastar: _Misty's too smart to be fooled, as you can see from this chapter…and I love a bit of denial, only Ash is too thick to even realize that he's in love :D

_msweetie913_: Thanks for the review! I need to go back and review your latest chapter, I still don't get why you aren't getting more feedback. Glad you're enjoying!

_KawaiiCherryBlossom-aka-BWF_: Once again, THANK YOU! I read most of the first chapter of you Hearts and Minds fic, I think its going to be interesting but I didn't even have time to finish it. I know what you mean now about the spare couple of hours…I just hope there is no seriously advanceshipping in it, or else I would have to throw up. Jk :D I know how much I've appreciated your feedback so I think I'll be returning the favor. Definitely interesting so far!

The Ash/Misty/Gary storyline will get even more complex and there will be some drama – this is high school, after all. I'm so glad you're reviewing!

_FabioandRichard4Ever_: Hey, thanks for the review…voila!


	6. Everyday

Hey guys! My sister is away for a couple of days so I plan to take the advantage of having my room and my computer to myself by doing lots of writing. And I've been watching Pokemon again, which always puts me in a good mood. Anyway, enjoy, lovely readers – this is a shorter one but the next one will be up very soon.

Disclaimer: If I owned Pokemon May and Dawn would be Ash's cousins so there would be no such thing as Advanceshipping or Pearlshipping.

Chapter Six: Everyday

May looked grim as she settled more comfortably in her seat, leaning closer so they wouldn't be overheard. 'You know Ash and Gary's history better than us – but I'm guessing Ash hasn't had time to tell you what's been going since they got here, right?' she asked.

Misty looked puzzled.

'No - I mean, we all know they were major rivals back in the day. When Ash beat Gary in the Silver Conference they seemed to come to some sort of truce but now it seems like they're back hating each other…what's your point?'

Dawn cut in, looking distressed. 'I couldn't understand it. I met Gary in Sinnoh and he and Ash were very civil to each other, almost friendly. I thought Ash was exaggerating when he told us about their old rivalry – Gary seemed so nice.' Her face reddened and she fell silent. May shot her a sympathetic glance, swiftly taking over the explanation with a bleak expression.

'It was painful to watch. On our first day Ash tried to say hello to Gary but Gary threw it right back in his face, saying he wasn't going to talk to sub standard Trainers. Ash was actually stunned silent for a moment, caught completely of guard by Gary's hostility. But being Ash he covered his hurt by getting mad, saying the Intraschool Tournament would decide who was better -'

'I'm betting he would have challenged him there and then if impromptu battles were allowed at Pokemon High,' Dawn interrupted darkly, her face still flushed.

'- so Gary and Ash have been at each other's throats ever since then,' May finished, shooting Dawn a little smile. 'Gary spent his first month at Pokemon High boasting to the whole school about how great he is, insisting he was a dead cert for the Champion title and pointedly scorning Ash publicly at every opportunity, and Ash got more and more riled up. And it wasn't just Ash Gary looked down upon – he went around sneering in the faces of everyone he considered a rival, and believe me, it got old fast. Honestly, the way Gary would go on it sounded like he thought it was his _right _to be the Champion, just because his grandfather is the Headmaster.'

Misty nodded. 'I can understand that. I know Gary's beaten Ash since he gave up training competitively but those battles were just for fun - Gary probably relished the idea of defeating Ash in a proper competition, and their Silver Conference showdown was close enough to make him think he had a chance.'

Having recovered her composure, Dawn cut in, glancing around to check no one was eavesdropping. 'The first Intraschool final was incredible – Ash was incredible. He ran Gary into the ground. We all know Gary hates to admit that he's second best and I think all along he was afraid he would loose and have to knuckle down to Ash, so his desperation to prove himself superior led to his abrasive behavior. Of course, it turned out he had every right to be nervous. And then Ash beat him again last month, proving his first victory wasn't a fluke, but if anything that made things worse between them. I expected Gary to back down after a while but he's got a chip on his shoulder good and proper now.'

'He swaggers about like he owns the place, shamelessly intimidating the younger students and boasting about his own achievements. But it works - his wealth, talent, looks and arrogance render him terrifying in the eyes of most of the students here.' May rolled her eyes at the stupidity of her schoolmates. 'But it's all an act. He's just trying to hide how much he cares about being top dog around here.'

Misty made an impatient noise, running a hand through her hair. 'Why is Gary even here??? I thought he had given up Training for good!'

Dawn shrugged. 'You wanna have Pokemon, you have to go to Pokemon High. And if you're at Pokemon High you have to compete.'

Misty was silent for a moment.

'Did Ash really…humiliate him?'

May and Dawn nodded gravely.

'After you battle I'm sure you've realized how much he's improved. I think he would have had a shot at winning in Sinnoh if we'd stayed out there. And frankly…he went a bit crazy in his first month here. It was scary.'

Misty was puzzled. 'Ash went crazy? Why?'

'Gary's sweetness and light didn't exactly help but…he missed the Sinnoh League by a few weeks.'

'Ah.' Misty nodded in understanding. 'Nothing like missing a Pokemon League to get him fired up. I knew coming here would be hard on him but I guess I never thought he would channel his frustration to a good cause.'

May looked serious as she rested her head in her hand. 'So that's what made their little confrontation so surprising - it wasn't about Pokemon. It was about you.'

Dawn spoke, a derisive look creeping onto her face. 'I saw straight away from Gary's little charade in the hall yesterday that he liked you – or more likely, thought you were 'the hottest thing he'd ever seen',' she quoted sarcastically. 'I've never seen Gary be nice to anyone here. It was unbelievable.'

'And why would that bother Ash?' Misty replied frostily. 'It's not like I'd ever date a loser like Gary.'

May and Dawn exchanged significant glances.

'No idea,' they replied simultaneously, grinning.

Misty cocked her head to the side, narrowing her eyes at the two younger girls as she tried not to think about what they were inferring.

'But it keeps coming down to this – as long as Ash has the Champion title he has the upper hand,' May added. 'Gary keeps trying to drag Ash down but until he beats him in a Pokemon battle he's not going to get anywhere.'

Misty ran her mind over the events of the previous day but she was sure she'd never seen the two adversaries together. Something struck her as odd.

'If Ash and Gary are such big rivals, then how come Gary's sister sticks to Ash like glue?'

May snorted in amusement. 'Daisy's had her eye on Ash since the day he won the Trainer Tournament. She didn't give him a second glance before then, but he knows that. Shockingly Ash is actually way ahead of her – he knows that she's only interested in him because he's the Champion. Gary hates it but I guess there's nothing he can do. And anyway, it's not like Ash is ever going to fall for her.'

Misty laughed, only her eyes showing how relieved she felt. 'Wow, who knew Ash could be so girl savvy?'

Dawn shrugged, grinning knowingly. 'Beats me! I guess Drew's been teaching him how to shake off annoying fan girls!'

May flushed, glaring at her friend as she jerked her head up. 'I think Paul would be just as informed about that!'

Misty ignored Dawn's murderous expression, intrigued by the mention of Ash's most recent rival. 'What about Paul? I was under the impression that Ash hated his guts. What happened there?'

May shrugged. 'Honestly, we're not really sure, but it's pretty much thanks to Gary that they're friends. Gary knew of Paul's reputation and considered him his greatest threat after Ash, so he didn't hesitate in telling the world of how he was clearly better than Paul despite the fact they'd never battled.'

Dawn cut in. 'They just seemed to, I don't know, get over it or something. Ash has always been a bit vague in his explanations about it, not that that's a surprise. Anyway, Ash's rivalry with Gary was so much stronger - it was almost like he lost interest in competing with Paul, he was so keen to destroy Gary. And for some unknown reason Paul seemed to respect that, forging a friendship over the intent to see Gary taken down a few pegs. Paul was one of the only people who said Ash could beat Gary in the first Intraschool Tournament - Gary had the whole school convinced he was going to run Ash into the ground. Everyone was shocked when he won but let me tell you, they were cheering.'

Misty pondered Dawn's words, trying to picture the shifting alliances and changing rivalries. 'It just seems strange that they're friends now – according to Brock they really didn't get along. I guess I'm just surprised cause it sounded like Paul was the more skilled out of the pair.'

'Erm…not exactly.' Dawn looked uncomfortable as she hesitated, studiously avoiding May's somewhat amused gaze. 'I don't know whether you know this but Paul used to employ some pretty questionable training methods on his Pokemon, and he and Ash never failed to clash over it. Naturally his techniques were not exactly welcome at Pokemon High but as Paul began to change his ways he saw Ash had been right all along. I'm guessing that that's when he began to respect Ash enough to be friends with him and believe he could beat Gary. Ugh, the mystery that is male bonding!'

May giggled. 'Ash was already pretty close with Drew – there are so many amateur Trainers and fan girls here, he and Drew stuck together to avoid them. So now Drew and Paul are pretty much Ash's new Tracey and Brock, though I'd never say that to their faces if I wanted to escape with my life.'

Misty leaned back in her chair, absorbing the unexpected burst of information about Ash, realizing just how long they had been apart. It pained her how little she knew about his new friendships and renewed rivalry, a hundred questions burning on the tip of her tongue just begging to be asked.

'But what -'

But before she could finish Professor Birch swept over to them with a rather indignant expression and they quickly bent over their unmarked worksheets, jumping hurriedly into a discussion about the feeding habits of Grass Pokemon.

*****

Ash had recovered by the time the class ended, buoyed up by Drew and Paul's rounded abuse of his adversary's arrogant behavior. He was relieved to discover that Misty didn't seem to feel the need to mention the confrontation, her perfectly natural behavior dispelling any fears that his actions might have upset her. They eased into their normal light conversation without a hitch.

As the week crawled along Ash found himself growing more and more impatient for his Friday night with Misty. Apart from small talk during homeroom and their daily stroll to Battle practice together, he had spent annoyingly little time with his long lost best friend. The mutinous relationships between their friends certainly didn't help, though the three boys continued to crash the girls' table in Advanced Training. May and Drew seemed to have reached some sort of unspoken truce to tolerate each other around Ash and Misty but the hate waves rolling off the pair didn't exactly help culminate a pleasant atmosphere.

Ash was having a strange week. Since Monday he had been having trouble sleeping, plagued by abstract dreams and he would often find himself waking with a start in the middle of the night. In school he found himself anticipating his next encounter with Misty, his concentration in class wavering as he spend his time mulling over the knot in his stomach that magically appeared every time he thought about her. His new found edginess was starting to grate on Drew and Paul, and his mother was sick with worry over his uncharacteristic disinterest in food. She plagued him with questions about how he was feeling but Ash brushed her off, telling her she was worrying for no reason

But the truth was Ash couldn't have answered her question if he'd tried, as his tangle of emotions proved indecipherable even to him. He felt unsettled and restless and vaguely nervous, the same way he felt before a League Conference – like he was on the edge of becoming part of something greater and loftier, something that would raise him above the heights of the mere individual. But whatever it was that he was careening towards was still hidden from him, shadowed in veil of uncertainty.

He didn't know where the feeling came from but he knew change was coming - and soon.

*****

'Misty!' a voice cried out, seemingly from nowhere.

Misty started, accidentally slamming the garden gate behind her as she looked around to see where the disembodied voice was coming from. She was still shaking from Charizard's rapid descent and she was doing her best to hide it from Ash, but the nerve wracking flight had left her jumpier than usual. She almost leapt out of her skin as Delia Ketchum loomed out from behind a large bush brandishing a pair of dangerous looking hedge trimmers. Carefully setting her tool on the ground Ash's mother hurried over and enveloped the redhead in an affectionate embrace.

'It's so good to see you, honey! I was so pleased when Ash told me you had finally arrived at Pokemon High!'

'Thanks, Mrs. Ketchum,' Misty replied, grateful for the older woman's enthusiasm. Delia was as close to a mother as Misty had ever had and Misty was very fond of her. 'It's good to see you too!'

'You've grown _so _much,' Delia mused, resting her hands on Misty's shoulders as she leaned back to admire her. 'You must be rivaling those famous sisters of yours!' she added, sending her son a sly look.

Misty blushed at the compliment while Ash stared up at the vacant sky, ignoring his mother's probing look.

'Well, I have to get this hedge trimmed before dinner so I'll let you two go,' Delia continued briskly. 'Oh, Ash dear, Professor Oak called back and said Tracey is out of town this weekend at a conference, but apparently Tracey himself told you that week.'

'Oh, uh, right,' Ash stuttered, wishing his mother had left off the last bit as Misty's expression was growing dangerously smug. 'I guess I, uh, forgot.'

'You'd forget your own head if it wasn't screwed on, Ash, but I guess having a head with nothing in it is better than no head at all.'

Ash growled. 'At least my head isn't so swollen -'

'That's enough, dears,' Delia cut in sharply, looking uncharacteristically stern as Pikachu added a little 'Chu!' of agreement. 'Really, at your age! Now, I've made a nice jug of lemonade – why don't you head up to Ash's room for the catch up you've been looking forward to so much?'

'Alright,' they both mumbled, looking uncannily like two chastised toddlers.

'Glad you're here, Misty dear,' Delia said kindly before wandering back over to the bush. Pikachu hopped off Ash's head hopped across the lawn, curling up in a patch of sunlight for a snooze. Ash sighed before catching Misty's eye and jerking his head towards the house.

'Come on,' he mumbled. Misty followed him silently up the path towards the house, following his lead by shedding her bag and chucking it onto the sofa as they made for the kitchen. Ash still didn't speak as she leaned up against the counter, watching him slam the glasses down just a little roughly before turning to the fridge to yank it open.

Misty sighed as she watched him pour. Ash always seemed to enjoy their arguments but he was prone to getting a little touchy when the subject strayed to his own faults, particularly those that referred to his supposedly lacking mental capacity. She was just glad he hadn't been able to complete his comeback – she was sure she wouldn't be so forgiving if he had.

'Thanks,' she smiled genially as he handed her a glass. He smiled back and in an instant all the tension evaporated, leaving two best friends on the verge of a marathon catch up.

'C'mon, let's go upstairs,' he said easily as he led the way out of the room.

*****

I know this was a short one but please, bear with me. We have one more chapter of back story and then we'll start to get into the plot a bit more.

Thanks for reading and once again if you're following this story, please review and tell me what you think. Seriously, your encouragement keeps me going.

I've already started plans for a sequel, get excited!

Song Inspiration: You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift.

'Dreaming 'bout the day when you wake up and find that what you're looking for has been here the whole time…'

Review Responses:

THANK YOU to my lovely reviewers; I take what you say very seriously and I appreciate you taking the time to review so much. 13, another record! Thanks for sticking with me!

_Fire Drastar: _I hope you enjoyed the info about Gary and I hope it comes across as plausible. Thanks!

_Midna Owns: _Yeah there will be drama but in more ways than one, as you will see next chappy! Thanks for the compliment about how I write Ash, I like to throw in just a little stupidity without making him seem like a retard. And the A/M/G is so fun to write! Thanks for the review :D

_Texas Longhorn: _Awww, thanks TL! I love doing the Ash/Gary bits, Ash is so dim. You know I love being your enemy #1 :D

_Rissyychan: _So glad you liked the chapter, I actually really enjoy writing Ash cause he's not nearly so complex as Misty and Gary are. Thanks for sticking with me!

_Ronmione X3: _I know my Gary is a jerk, and I love it! I hope you enjoyed the back story about him, and I hope it comes off okay :D

_HighQueen: _Well we all know I'm a major Pokeshipper and though the other ships will have their place I think I will keep them fairly simply – after all, the Ash/Gary/Misty issue will mean plenty of drama. And I'm so glad you enjoyed Misty's character development and we see a little more of that in the next chapter. I wanted to show more of her than merely her famous temper. Thanks!!!

_cloudstars101: _I hope this chapter clears things up – thank you so much for your feedback, it was your comment that led me to include Misty's question on the same subject.

_mudkipluvr4ever: _The reason for Misty's lateness will be revealed in the next chapter, and I'm glad you agreed with her refusing Ash's help. Thanks for reviewing!

_Arysd: _Haha don't let me fool you – high school isn't always this dramatic and I would go mad if it was. I'm glad you liked Drew and Paul standing up for Misty, it included them in the scene a little. Thanks!

_DevoTheMadCashCow: _Hey, thanks for the review, I love it when new people review! I'm glad you like my style and I hope you found this chapter equally entertaining!

_eevee-love: _So glad you enjoyed this chappy! I'm glad you agree with Ash needing to discover his feelings – after all, that's what all Pokeshippers want to believe! And just a hint – if you like Eevee's you'll love the sequel I'm planning :D

_msweetie913: _Hahaha I love that line too, so very Gary :D Thanks for reading! And I'm glad you actually like the HSM titles, not many people have commented on them so far but I think they work pretty well cause they're pretty descriptive.

_CantHelpThisSmile: _You rock, glad you're reading :D


	7. When There Was Me And You

Hey readers! Hahaha I just watched the episode 'The Totodile Duel' for the first time and I loved it. Ash gets all embarrassed when Misty's nice to him! I also watched 'Forest Grumps' which is also a great episode for Pokeshipping. I'd forgotten what a big crush I have on Ash :D

In my opinion, this chapter is better than the last one. Enjoy!

Chapter Seven: When There Was Me And You

For Misty, being back in Ash's room was like stepping into the past. Not a lot had changed in the years since her absence, but then again she knew not a lot had changed since Ash himself had left home almost eight years ago. The poster of the Kanto starters still hung on the wall, faded in odd stripes after many years under the sun beaming in through the window. The new Pikachu clock on the wall ticked irritatingly loudly, a sure sign that Ash had been the one to buy it. The bunk bed still stood in the corner, the green sheets on the top bed lying in tousled heap. Misty's stomach gave a strange leap when she remembered the nights she had spent in that bed…Ash's bed…

Ash sprawled on the lower bed, narrowly avoiding slopping his drink everywhere as he settled in a comfortable position. It took him a second to realize that Misty had not followed suit.

She was staring clear over his head, her eyes riveted on something that was level with the top bed. With a hot flush of embarrassment Ash remembered what he had been reading before bed last night, hoping desperately he had remembered to put it back on his shelf and out of sight. There was no way he could pass it off as coincidence – after all, he wasn't exactly in the habit of flicking through old magazines as light bedtime reading. He clenched his jaw, preparing to wing an explanation.

He jumped a little as she dropped abruptly onto the bed beside him, reaching wordlessly for a pillow to lean against. Ash's hastily constructed explanation proved superfluous as she stayed quiet, sipping her lemonade without a word. Ash shrugged mentally, chastising himself for being paranoid.

'Misty?' he asked a little hesitantly, still half afraid he was going to face an interrogation.

She jumped a little, staring at him with confused eyes before smiling broadly.

'Yes, Ash?' she replied in a light teasing voice.

Ash grinned, congratulating his own cleverness but resolving to be sure next time and stash the magazine in a locked cupboard.

'So, are you ever going to tell me where you were this summer?'

Misty sighed, her smile disappearing. 'I guess now's the time for that story…' She shifted into a more comfortable position. 'Well, the Gym got into a little financial trouble at the start of the summer, just like it did on our first journey together. The Gym's been doing better since I took it over but my sisters have been funding their lifestyles out of the Gym profits, and nothing I said could stop them. When we couldn't make the mortgage payments I told them enough was enough. They were horrified at the idea of traveling economy class to their shoots so they decided that a summer Sensational Sisters tour was the best way to make some quick cash.' She sighed, her expression pained. 'So they made me a Sensational Sister, insisting that a new face was the best way to draw the crowds. We didn't have enough money to hire someone to coordinate the show and I knew they couldn't do it without me, so I agreed. I knew the Gym would be shut down otherwise and I didn't want that to happen. So the Pokemon League sent a temporary Gym Leader and we set off around Kanto.'

She fell silent, absentmindedly swirling the yellow liquid around inside her glass, stopping abruptly as it sloshed dangerously close to the rim. Ash watched her quietly, patiently waiting for her to continue.

'They told me it would be a two month tour, no more. I'd already been awarded a place at Pokemon High and I was determined that nothing would stop me from accepting it.' Her tone was hard, bitter, and her eyes flashed with indignation. 'But when we were offered an extension to the tour, they agreed without even asking me. And though I couldn't leave, I wasn't happy. In fact I pretty much hit the roof but there was nothing I could do about it. I had to take a bunch of placement tests before Pokemon High would let me start two months into the semester. I was lucky to make it.'

Ash was silent for a moment, trying to control his temper as he contemplated sending the elder Waterflower sisters a rather rude letter for treating their youngest sister so badly.

'So now they've just gone off and left you again?' he said a little more sharply than he meant to.

'The new League rules wouldn't allow them to leave. As an underage Trainer I can only retain my Gym Leader status if a fully qualified Trainer is present to oversee my actions.' She rolled her eyes, offended by this notion. 'Though if anything _they're _the ones that need to be watched, sometimes I wonder if they have a brain between them…anyway, they still go off to modeling shoots and stuff but not for long, so we all share the responsibility now.' She began to smile a little.

'So if you've been doing the same show all summer why were you rehearsing all this week?'

Misty grinned properly. She loved his tone of voice – it sounded like he had taken her rehearsal schedule as a personal insult.

'We're modifying to show so it will be mostly underwater, and we're including more Pokemon. None of the other venues we traveled to have facilities like the Gym but according to Daisy we need to put on a special show for the "home fans",' Misty quoted sarcastically. 'Waste of time and energy in my opinion – we could tell knock-knock jokes for an hour and a half and they'd still cheer like idiots!'

Ash laughed, his eyes teasing. 'So let me guess – you're a mermaid, right?'

Misty looked at him in mock horror. 'A Mer-princess – get it right, Ash!' she teased. 'I save the handsome human prince from drowning and he falls in love with me but my father, the Mer-king, forbids me to see him again. But when evil Sea Witch kidnaps him from his ship I devise a daring plan to save him. Then my father, after he blasts the Sea Witch into a million pieces, sees how much I love him and changes me into a human and we live happily ever after.'

Ash cocked an eyebrow.

'Sound familiar?' Misty giggled. 'Lily's our script writer and I don't think she knows what the word 'plagiarism' means, let alone how to spell it.'

Ash shook his head, his eyes gleaming with mischief as a smirk spread over his face.

'Nah, I was just thinking that you seem like the type of Mer-thingy to let the handsome prince drown and take over his kingdom by force with a mallet – argh!' he hollered as his rudeness was cut off with a well deserved pillow strike, his empty glass tumbling to the floor.

'Misty,' he whined comically as he righted himself, pouting as he fixed his askew hat. She didn't reply, her eyes gleaming as she brandished the pillow threateningly before restoring it to its place supporting her back.

There was a brief moment of silence as Ash watched her fiery behavior, but then the question he had been aching to ask accidentally came tumbling out.

'Why didn't you tell me you were coming back? Last I heard from you, you told me you'd signed up for first semester like everyone else, and then you just disappeared off the face of the earth!'

Misty was taken aback by his tone but she covered her surprise, shrugging easily. 'I got back the weekend before my first day but I guess I never got time to call you. It's funny, being on the road this summer reminded me how difficult it is keeping in touch with people when you're not at home.'

She froze, her hand tightening around her glass as she realized what she had just said.

Ash gulped. He had dreaded this but he knew it was his fault and that he had to try and make it up to her.

'Misty, I'm sorry,' he said immediately, choosing to stick to his tried and tested bluntness. 'I should have made more of an effort to visit you, or to come see you more often -'

She cut him off, looking a little desperate. 'Ash, it just sounded wrong, I wasn't trying to make you feel bad -'

'You didn't have to,' Ash put in firmly. 'I already felt bad about it, even before you got to Pokemon High. You're my best friend and I…didn't treat you like a best friend. I really missed you, Misty. It wasn't until I saw you again that I realized how much I had been missing.'

Ash cursed silently, wishing he could take back his last sentence. He wanted to be nice, not sound like an obsessive stalker. Her eyes swelled to beryl orbs and she looked in danger of dropping the half full glass still clutched in her fingers.

'Thanks, Ash' she said quietly, staring down into the citrus depths of her drink with a small smile on her face. Ash breathed a sigh of relief. 'I – missed you too. I love my work at the Gym but it's not the same as traveling with you.'

Ash cleared his throat awkwardly but he felt a little leap of excitement at her words. He hadn't known she'd missed him this much.

'What's it like? Y'know, being a Gym Leader.' He winced at his own lameness, wishing he could think of something deep and meaningful to say instead, but their conversation was making him oddly nervous.

Misty's hands twisted her nervously in her lap. 'I – I don't really like to say it 'cause I know it's my responsibility.' She sighed. 'I enjoy it, I really do. I get to meet a lot of people and spend time working with my Pokemon. But it gets...lonely. Things have been better since my sisters came back but I don't know how long their resolution to stay with me will last. But still, I'd rather have their airhead company than no company at all.' She bit her lip.

'But?' Ash prompted.

'But…there have been times, especially in the last week, when I've wondered whether it would have been better to let the Gym be shut down.'

At Ash's stunned expression Misty hastily tried to clarify herself. 'I don't mean shut for good – oh no. The Gym is my home, and it would break my heart to see it sold. I just mean shut down long enough for my sisters to take their responsibility seriously. They've all fulfilled their dreams but as long as I'm tied to the Gym I can't reach mine.'

Guilt swam uncomfortably in Ash's stomach as he studied his friend's beautifully pensive face. It was beginning to hit him how much she had sacrificed for the sake of her family. He'd never thought about anything but himself and his own goals and he wished he's seen how difficult things were for her. She had a right to expect his support and Ash knew he'd failed miserably in that aspect. He resolved to make it up to her somehow.

But Misty never gave in to self pity for long. He watched, fascinated as she visibly shook it off, her head rising as she fixed a determined smile on her face. Ash knew such strength was rare and deserved to be valued. An awkward silence hovered between then for a second.

'So what are you planning to do after you graduate?' she asked, smiling at him as she pointedly changed the subject.

'Uhhh, I guess I'll go back to Sinnoh and give the League a go, if I can make it there in time,' Ash muttered. For some reason, he didn't feel much like talking about himself.

'Speaking of travelling, where are Team Rocket these days? They trailed you for seven years – surely they didn't give up that easily!'

Ash seized the change in topic gratefully, exploding into hoots of laughter as he contemplated the fate of his long time adversaries.

'Ahhh, Team Rocket,' he howled, slapping his knee as the tense atmosphere faded into the background. Noticing Misty's unimpressed expression he endeavored to compose himself, though an occasional snicker escaped him. 'They crashed Pokemon High two weeks into the semester. I was right in the middle of winning a Training match and they burst in through the glass ceiling of the Battle Complex in one of their balloons, waving a giant vacuum cleaner around.'

Misty laughed as she pictured the amusing scene. 'You'd think after failing a hundred times they'd come up with a different idea, but it's always the same – if its not a giant vacuum cleaner than it's the traditional hole in the ground!'

Ash snorted. 'They were halfway into sucking up every Pokeball in the place - they'd even caught Pikachu with one of those mechanical arms – when they hit a problem even quicker than usual. How can I phrase it? James had a, er, _prick of conscience_.'

Misty stared at him in disbelief, her mouth dropping open. 'A prick of conscience? _Now? _How could he change his mind after stalking you for seven years?'

Laughter bubbled up in Ash's throat, threatening to overtake him. 'Apparently James has a problem with, er, stealing from "schoolchildren," as he put it.'

This time it was Ash's turn to be taken aback as Misty burst into peals of her melodious laughter.

'After trying to take Pikachu from you when you were _ten _he decides its bad to steal from you just cause you're back at school?' She rocked backward and forwards, shaking with laughter. 'What happened next?' she hooted.

Ash began to laugh as well. 'He convinced Jessie to stop and they did that weird thing where they hold each other and sob. Together they, uh, restrained Meowth and floated off in that mad balloon, leaving a massive hole in the roof, shouting threats that they'd be back to get me after graduation.'

Misty redoubled her laughter, clutching her sides. 'They're mad, I'm telling you. But they'll be back. The second you start traveling again they'll be back on your trail.'

'Then I'll just have to go back to wreaking their livelihoods every couple of days,' Ash snickered.

Misty sighed, massaging her stomach muscles. 'They were your most loyal traveling companions – you couldn't get rid of them, no matter what.'

The pair sat in companionable silence for a moment, absorbed in silent recollections of their clashes with the bumbling villains. They began swapping memories of the outlandish, fraudulent plans the troublesome trio had concocted so frequently, and how despite the array of ludicrous inventions they had never managed to steal a single Pokemon to placate their boss, never mind achieving the fame and fortune they craved so badly. Misty concluded that if Team Rocket had had a brain between them they would have avoided Ash instead of trailing him, or simply sold Meowth to a circus.

After exhausting the topic of their old nemesis Misty switched to something closer to home, realizing something she had overlooked.

'If May and Drew are from Johto and Paul and Dawn are from Sinnoh, why are they all at Pokemon High in Kanto?'

'The Pallet branch of Pokemon High is considered the best in the world, because of its Headmaster. I guess their parents wanted them to get the best education they could – after all, May's dad is a Gym Leader and Paul's parents seem pretty…pushy, from what I've heard. Drew is plain loaded and Dawn was downright lucky – they offered her a scholarship.' Ash removed his hat and rubbed his hair absentmindedly. 'They all spend a fair amount of time around here on the weekends and you could say I have to juggle their visits pretty carefully!'

Misty giggled, catching his drift. 'I guess you want to avoid any awkward meetings!'

Ash rolled his eyes. 'There are already plenty of those in the course of a single school day – the last thing I want is their bickering following me home at night!'

She laughed again, but her face grew thoughtful as she considered another of their classmates. 'And of course Gary would attend his grandfather's school.'

Ash scowled, childishly hoping she wouldn't bring up the events of the week. They had both done an excellent job of avoiding the subject, knowing that such a conversation would involve reliving Gary's awkward suggestions. The last thing Ash wanted was to have to explain why he had come so strongly to her defense but since he didn't even know the answer himself he reasoned it would be an uncomfortable conversation. She seemed to take his silence as a hint, passing onto different matters.

'So what about you, Ash?' she asked playfully. 'You seem to have Pokemon High on automatic. Everyone wants a piece of you.'

Ash sighed, crossing his hands behind his head and staring up at the ceiling. 'It wasn't always like that,' he muttered.

'Are you talking about Gary?' Misty questioned, curious.

'Yes and no,' Ash replied cryptically.

'What do you mean?'

Ash sighed, his eyes still avoiding hers.

'Out in the Pokemon World I was a nobody. Sure, I won some stuff and did well in the Leagues I entered, but to most of the serious adult Trainers I was just another kid with a dream, and they all assume that my quest is doomed to failure. I had to prove myself before people would take me seriously, and it was the same at Pokemon High.' He glanced down from the ceiling to look at her. 'My first month at Pokemon High wasn't easy. Gary was in my face all the time, and he had the whole school convinced I was a loser. Nothing I said made a bit of difference but I was determined to show everyone. Then I won the Champion title and suddenly I was…_famous. _I had people stopping me in the halls, fangirls flocking all over me, the works. Then my competition record got out and people found out I was an Orange League Champion as well as a Battle Frontier Champion and people went crazy.' He shook his head in disbelief. 'I don't mean to boast but you'd be surprised how few Trainers my age have achieved what I've achieved. Heck, it's the same for you, you're the youngest Gym Leader in the world!'

She smiled at him, pleased he had acknowledged her own accomplishments, but she let him continue. 'Don't get me wrong – I _love _being the Champion,' he said so fervently that Misty wanted to laugh. 'I love the perks that come with the title and I love seeing Gary put in his place. I guess I'm just trying to say that it's a strange feeling, being the best. I've always been the underdog, and people have always underestimated me so being raised above the company is something I've had to get used to, though it is nice to finally be respected. That's partly why I found it easy to make friends with Drew, cause he's good enough not to suck up to me like the amateur Trainers.'

Misty looked at him fondly.

'You've done great, Ash. You should be proud of what you've achieved.' She gave him a small push. 'But you'd better get used to being the best cause once you cinch that Master title that's what you'll be, right?'

'I guess,' he replied sheepishly, embarrassed and pleased by her words. It wasn't often that Misty admitted she thought he had it in him to reach his goal.

Delia's voice floated up the stairs, interrupting their conversation. Misty glanced up at the clock on the wall.

'Gosh, look at the time! I can stay for dinner, but then I have to go – my sisters will freak out if I miss the train. They're very serious about getting their beauty sleep on their days off so none of them will want to come pick me up tomorrow!'

Ash nodded to show he had been listening before giving him whole attention to more important matters.

'Food! All right!' he hollered as he leapt to his feet and raced down the stairs, leaving a disgruntled Misty still sitting on the bed.

'Some things _never_ change,' she muttered crossly as she followed him out of the room.

*****

Misty was almost levitating with happiness as she wandered up the steps to Pokemon High the next Monday. Even a hellish two days of rehearsals with her sisters, who were frantic with unnecessary panic about the new show, had done nothing to quell her dreamy mood. She had simply ambled into a fantasy every time one of them squawked at her to smile wider or presume a more convincing face of ecstasy or agony, and though they hadn't risked mentioning it to her, Daisy, Violet and Lily all agreed that a lovelorn Misty, while having its drawbacks, it was a significant improvement to the furious, bitterly wronged Misty they had dealt with all summer.

She couldn't stop thinking about him - about how, after stuffing his face in a most disgusting manner, he had taken her to the train station himself. Her mind was still full of the parting hug he had graced her with and how adorable awkward he had looked as he had pulled away from her, his face flushed; how he had waited on the platform so he could wave her off as the train drew her away from him…

She increased her pace as she tapped quickly down the hall towards her homeroom, though she didn't truly expect Ash to be there yet, and she was glad when the right door came into sight. A week at Pokemon High had gifted her basic knowledge of the building and a firm route from class to class but woe betide her if she was asked to go somewhere different.

She snapped the door open, her eager gaze raking the room as she sought to catch sight of a two bright brown eyes peeking out from underneath messy black bangs.

But it was not Ash Ketchum sitting in the seat in front of her own.

'Hey Misty,' Gary smirked, pushing his long brown tendrils back off his forehead. He was slumped easily in Ash's place like he's sat there every day of his life, one arm draped casually over the back of the chair as he looked up at her with amused eyes. She had never seen anyone look so infuriatingly self satisfied.

Misty suppressed a groan, hardly believing he would have the nerve to try Ash's limited patience so soon with such an audacious move. She wasn't sure how her best friend was going to handle this but she knew it wouldn't be pretty.

She slammed the door shut behind her, causing the few other students in the room to jump. She stalked down the aisle between the rows of desks, never taking her narrow gaze off his smug face. Creep, she thought instinctively. Clearly Gary had taken advantage of Ash's well known propensity for lateness.

She dropped abruptly into her chair as he turned around to look at her, momentarily considering ignoring him altogether. But she knew better than that – Gary's pig headed behavior needed a head-on confrontation. She fixed him with her best menacing stare.

'What are you doing, Gary Oak?' she demanded. A leer spread over his face at her words.

'I _could _be doing -'

'I mean, what are you doing in Ash's seat?!' she hollered quickly, horrified at how Gary's perverted mind had twisted her innocent question. Gary chuckled languidly at her discomfit but to Misty's relief chose not to press the subject further.

'I figured I would claim Ashy-boy's seat so you would have the pleasure of my uninterrupted company,' he smirked.

'Well congratulations, you got here before Ash,' Misty replied acidly. 'I'm sure that required _all _your genius,' she huffed, wondering what she could possibly say that would induce him to leave before Ash came in and realized who had commandeered his seat. But before she could come up with a suitably cutting remark her smarmy adversary spoke again.

'Don't try and hide it, gorgeous. I know underneath all that hostility you're glad it's me you're talking to and not Ashy-boy,' he said complacently, turning his cool blue eyes on her. 'After all, what kind of crazy girl would want Ash over me?'

Uhh, me, Misty thought to herself sardonically. But she refused to dignify his statement with an answer, though her fingers itched to seize the desk in front of her and bring it down onto Gary's grossly over inflated head. For the first time in a long time she wished she still carried that mallet around with her.

Gary was watching her with a malicious expression. The room was beginning to fill up so he dropped his voice, leaning towards her.

'Of course, maybe _you're _that kind of crazy girl, huh, Miss Misty?' he mocked quietly. Misty's insides went cold as she looked into those cold eyes, disturbed not only by his words but by how easily he had read her mind. 'You might be the, ahh, _exception _to the rule.'

Anger bubbled through Misty's veins, combining potently with fear and mortification.

She snapped forward so quickly that Gary jumped back a little, though her flushed face was still only inches from his.

'I'm an exception to the rule that says everything in a skirt is your slave, though how _that _rule came into that existence is a mystery to me.' Though her temper had almost gotten the best of her, her voice was remarkably cool and she fought to keep it that way. She knew that if she let slip any indication that he had hit upon the truth, he would use it as a weapon against her.

At that moment Ash walked straight through the door, accompanied by May and Dawn. His laughter died in his throat as he caught sight of Misty's face inches from the face of his rival, who had had the impudence to carry through with his threat and steal his seat. His insides turned to ice as Gary, correctly interpreting the change in Misty's expression, turned slowly around to face him with a slow, slick smile. But Ash wasn't looking at Gary. He was staring straight at Misty, his face blank with shock and hurt.

Misty shot back in her chair, her face crimson as she noticed Ash's expression. Crossing her arms tightly she stared up at the ceiling, trying to convey to her best friend that she was not enjoying her conversation with his rival. The pain in Ash's stomach lessened as he watched her face change but a disconnected fear was still hanging over him like a blanket waiting to suffocate him. Glancing away from her he hurried over towards his rival, almost tripping over his own clumsy feet. Gary watched in satisfaction. The icily stern Ash of the week before was nowhere in sight; that coldly furious man had melted away to reveal a confused, fumbling little boy. Gary's smile grew wider and wider. He'd inadvertently stumbled across Ash Ketchum's only weakness.

'Get out of my seat, Gary,' Ash snapped childishly, his hands flailing uselessly.

A low chuckle escaped Gary, who, much to Ash's surprise, did not argue.

'Don't burst a blood vessel, Ashy-boy, you can sit by your girlfriend,' he said smoothly as he swung out of Ash's seat.

Though taken aback by Gary's comparatively placid reaction, Ash and Misty were both sufficiently in control of themselves to combat the age old suggestion.

'She's not my girlfriend!' Ash shouted.

'I'm not his girlfriend!' Misty shrieked at the same time.

Gary wheeled around, staring at the stubborn pair with a despicably triumphant smile.

'Good.'

With a final seductive wink in Misty's direction he sauntered over to his desk, satisfied that all eyes in the room were fixed on him.

Ash gaped at his rival for a second longer, trying to figure out exactly what Gary was up to. Ash would never have dared to predict that Gary would concede the seat back to him without a fight. Giving up on Gary's supposed ulterior motive he dropped heavily into his seat - without looking back at Misty.

Ash insides clenched as he remembered her head so close to Gary's. He got a strange floating sensation of déjà vu – this wasn't the first time he'd fought with Gary and ended up too ashamed to look at Misty. He knew that his best friend had done nothing but repel Gary's openly amorous advances but after seeing her head so close to his, a seed of fear had wedged itself into Ash's brain and despite her show of disgust he couldn't get the scene out of his mind.

Misty, on the other hand, was agonizing over what could possibly be going through Ash's head. Ash had never been difficult to read but this time it had been written all over his face. Misty just hoped she had made it clear that there was definitely nothing about Gary that she enjoyed.

At that moment Professor Birch strolled into the room, accompanied by Drew and Paul, both of whom he was lecturing about the importance of good time keeping. The chastised pair sloped towards Ash to take their seats, shooting him their usual grins of greeting. Their smiles faded as Ash barely acknowledged their existence and instead they glanced at each other, silently agreeing that the smirking Gary must have something to do with their friend's unhappy expression.

Ash barely listened as his Professor took the role, too busy mulling over the situation to care, but his attention snapped back to reality when his teacher proclaimed he had an important announcement to make.

*****

Yay, the final chapter of back story is complete! I think I've covered the necessary character history but if there's anything I'm forgetting just let me know and I'll write it in. I'm pretty pleased with how this one came off – I thought I needed to justify the lack of communication between Ash and Misty in the anime. More Ash/Gary/Misty interaction was written into this chapter by popular demand! Hold your breath for the next chapter, the focus of the story is about to be revealed!

And as always PLEASE review. I take what my reviewers say seriously and you have all helped me so much. Tell me what you don't like and I will consider changing it.

Song Inspiration: Pictures Of You by The Last Goodnight.

Review Responses:

Thank you THANK YOU to all my lovely reviewers, you make my day and encourage me to continue.

_Fire Drastar: _Good, glad the Ash/Gary/Paul stuff made sense. It's hard to explain – _I _know what happened between them but as I didn't want to begin the story that far back it was quite difficult to condense it into a single conversation. And I should use the word 'sequel' a little more loosely – if I stick to my current plan the next story will be very different from this one. Thank you SO much for reviewing and sticking with me so long!

_DevoTheMadCashCow: _Hmm, I knew the last chapter wasn't too brilliant but I wrote more A/G/M into this chapter by your request. I hope you liked this chapter better!

_Arysd: _Its good to know that all my readers now know the real state of things between Ash and Gary, and I hope it clarifies some of the interactions between them. I really am honored that this story is getting you back into Pokeshipping :D thanks for reviewing, as usual!

_Ronmione X3: _Writing Mrs. K is so much fun! Glad you're enjoying. Hmm, as I said above, the word 'sequel' might be misleading, but I guess we'll see how it turns out!

_7Dud3: _I know, the Ash/Gary rivalry can't be beat, and writing it on a whole new level (ie Misty!) is so much fun. Thank you so much for reviewing, I'm glad you're enjoying this!

_mudkipluvr4ever: _I wanted Gary and Ash back as rivals again so I hope the reasons come across as plausible. Hahaha yeah we'll see a bit more of May and Drew soon, I have a really good scene between them written :D And Ash is just a bit behind the times, as you can see from this chapter, but he'll catch on eventually :D Thank you!!!

_cloudstars101:_Thank you so much for saying this is amazing! I'm just glad your reading and enjoying this!

_L'Fleur Noir: _You added me to your Favorite Author list which basically means that I love you :D Thank you so much! And your FF name is beautiful, what does it mean? AAML4eva!

_Rissyychan: _Hey! I hope you enjoyed this chappy, I hated to cut the last one off at such an interesting moment but it would have been such a huge chapter otherwise. Thanks for sticking with me and reviewing!

_Texas Longhorn: _As soon as I get around to it I will be translating your Russian into English…I hope its not a curse to reduce reviews or something :D But as long as its not, thanks for the feedback. I knew I had to justify Ash's renewed rivalry with Gary and I thought Gary's personality as well as his competitive nature meant that he would always want to have one up on Ash. And you don't sound like a loser, I'm just as bad if not worse! And you have to try a little harder if you want to make people fall asleep…oh, and I hope you got the reference to plagiarism. Does that make me as dim as Lily???


	8. Fabulous

Hey readers! So sorry this took so long – this is a huge chapter, and I've been trying to get all the events for this story in order, but I think I've finally got a structure set in stone. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter Eight: Fabulous

The room slowly fell silent and when Professor Birch was sure he had the attention of all the students in the room, he began to speak.

'Pokemon High aims to give you experience in your chosen sphere, preparing you for the real Pokemon world - '

'Except that we all _know _what the real Pokemon world is like,' Drew interrupted sardonically.

'That may be the case, Mr. Hayden,' Professor Birch replied with a wry smile as the class laughed. 'But interrupt me again and I'll have you cleaning out the litter boxes in the school Pokemon Center, are we clear?'

'Yes, sir,' Drew grinned.

'Now, what was I saying? Ah yes. As you all know, the monthly Intraschool Tournament and Intraschool Festival are designed to introduce you all to the competitive nature of the Pokemon world as well as providing you with an opportunity to practice the skills of your select field. However, the staff feels that the repetition of such an event could encourage students to become complacent in their training as these events fail to encompass the variety of challenges you will face as an aspiring Trainer or Coordinator. To put it simply, Mr. Hayden is right. Some of you have already experienced so much of the Pokemon world that you are no longer challenged by a simple little tournament against your school friends. However, the flip side of the coin is that some of the students here at Pokemon High are comparatively unaware of what is out their waiting for them, and it is our job as a school to equip them with a knowledge of all forms of Pokemon combat.

'So, the decision has been made to introduce a small change to the program for this month. While we cannot change who you are battling against, we can alter the format of the competition to challenge those who are already experienced while leveling the competition for those who are not. Therefore, this month the usual Intraschool competitions will be cancelled and the entire school, Coordinators and Trainers alike, will take part in a Pairs competition.'

Ash mouth dropped open in surprise as roars of 'what?' and 'huh?' broke out among his classmates. He clutched the edge of the desk in front of him as the noise continued.

'Pokemon High is such a young institution and we hope this competition, christened the Doubleteam Tournament by Professor Oak, will become an annual event,' Professor Birch ploughed on loudly. 'The usual Intraschool competitions will be reinstated next month. However, this will be unlike any Pairs competition you have ever entered.'

He waited for the class to quiet down before continuing, ignoring the mixture of confused and resentful looks coming from the students. 'You will be assigned a partner at random on the day of the Tournament and for every level you move up in the competition you will be allocated a new one. You will never battle alongside the same person twice. We hope this will instill in you all the uncertainty of battling and of the Pokemon World, and will teach you to adapt to any potential battle situation you may find yourself in. And yes, it does mean we'll have four Champions next month. We are aware that Coordinators may be at a disadvantage as it is a straight battle competition but we hope this will only inspire you to work harder.'

The babble of excited and somewhat indignant chatter broke out again as soon as Professor Birch stopped for a breath. Drew looked particularly incensed at the turn of events, as did many of the Coordinators. The volume in the classroom steadily increased as Professor Birch fielded a hundred demanding questions from his students.

'Each match will be a full six on six, three Pokemon to each Trainer or Coordinator and four Pokemon on the Field at one time. If you have questions you may ask them _after _class. Now, we really must begin…'

Ash leaned back in his chair, a little shell shocked at the unexpected turn of events. He had been under the impression that the Intraschool competitions were permanent fixtures in his school schedule. However, when he looked it logically he remained confident he would still win. After all, he'd been in team competitions before, and this would only give him a chance to beat Gary at something different. His only worry was which half brained amateurs would be foisted upon him as partners, sure he would be left to pick up the slack no matter who it was. He half turned around to discuss the school's unprecedented move with Misty but remembering Gary's famous last words he thought better of it, deciding to let her cool a little before attempting a conversation. He glanced over at his rival resentfully. Gary looked as cool as ever, his usual superior expression so unruffled that Ash wondered if he had been privy to the announcement.

Professor Birch was looking increasingly harassed, calling for silence as he began explaining their next assignment, but Misty was barely listening. Why were they having a _pairs _battle? Disappointment coursed through her veins as she realized what the change in policy meant. She had been hoping to give Ash a run for his money in the next Intraschool Tournament but it looked like anything could happen now. With no way of telling who her partner or opponent would be, she couldn't even be sure if she would be battling against Ash or with him. Glancing over at May and Dawn she saw they were whispering together, and May, catching sight of Misty watching them, gave her confused shrug. Misty returned the gesture with a weak smile, wondering what exactly she had gotten herself into at Pokemon High. She had a feeling this competition was going to prove a problem for her.

The class passed slowly for her, and when the bell finally rang the level of chatter in the classroom was higher than usual as the students eagerly discussed the change. Misty busied herself with her things, half convinced Ash was going to walk off and leave her after such a display earlier. However, he turned straight around to talk to her, the change in his battle schedule having driven out any embarrassment long ago. Misty wanted to shake her head in amazement. The boy had a one track mind.

'Wow, that's quite a turn up for the books, huh Mist?' he asked, those liquid brown eyes gazing back at her appealingly. Misty loved it when he used his special nickname for her, and she found herself gazing at him with a dreamy expression.

'Mmmm…yeah, I suppose so,' she replied vaguely. Noticing Ash's somewhat confused expression she hurriedly gathered her wits, fumbling with her things and following him out of the classroom and down the hall.

Misty felt the urge to roll her eyes as she noticed a good looking junior age boy elbow his friend as she approached, the pair of them falling silent and jostling to the side so they could watch her pass. She dropped her eyes away from them, only to see another group of young men watching her from the other side of the hall. She sighed, gritting her teeth.

Misty had gotten plenty of male attention over her first summer as a Sensational Sister, and though the interest had initially gratified her – she took it as proof that no one could ever call her a scrawny runt again – the fans' puppy-like faithfulness had quickly grated on her. Even in her years as a Gym Leader she had left many ten year old challengers red faced and lost for words, not to mention refusing countless invitations from both cocky pubescent teens and smooth twenty-somethings. At Pokemon High it was no different - worse if anything. Her own personal charms, combined with her coveted Gym Leader position, her well publicized friendship with Ash and his subsequent run in with none other than Gary Oak over her, made her something of a commodity. Consequently, Misty was well used to being ogled in the hallway.

She glanced at Ash, her stomach turning over as she studied his thunderstruck expression. The two younger boys seemed to scent danger, scuttling away as if trying to prove they hadn't been eyeing up the Champion's much gossiped best friend. Misty breathed a sigh of relief, glad to be freed from their staring eyes. There were definite advantages to having such a popular person as her best friend but the intensity of Ash's hard stare had surprised her.

When he finally spoke his tone was a little harsher than usual.

'I just don't understand it…I mean, Pokemon High has been open for two months. Why would they go changing the rules already?'

Misty looked thoughtful. 'They're not changing the rules, they're just mixing things up a little. And I think Professor Oak's right – there are no traditions or precedents around here. I think it's nice that they're trying to get something of that sort going.'

Ash shrugged. 'If they're trying to wrong foot the experienced Trainers while preparing the younger ones, then I guess it's a pretty good idea. Maybe they're trying to get people to relax a little more about battling. I mean, the atmosphere around here is competitive enough as it is!'

Misty nodded in agreement - as a new student, she could testify to that.

'Or maybe they want other people to have the chance to win something,' she teased lightly.

Ash grinned stupidly, pleased. 'I'm still hoping to win, you know!'

'You're not the only one – I bet Gary'll be out trying to spot your weaknesses!'

Misty winced the second the words were out of her mouth. She truly hadn't meant to bring Ash's adversary into the conversation – not after the little scene earlier – but she didn't miss Ash's scowl at the mention.

'I don't _have _any weaknesses,' Ash said sharply, stung. 'I can beat Gary at anything!'

Misty sighed as she weighed her options. She could turn Ash's throwback comment into an instant argument by pointing out _all_ his mistakes as Trainer, not to mention all the times in his life when Gary had bettered him – but surprisingly, a good argument with Ash wasn't what she wanted right now, especially one over Gary. She reckoned it would be a fight neither of them could hope to enjoy. After all, she was meant to be convincing Ash that having her head so close to Gary's had been nothing but an unfortunate mistake, not confirming the opposite. So instead, she chose the road less traveled.

'I know you can, Ash. After all, you're the Champion, aren't you?' she said softly, smiling affectionately at him.

Ash gaped like a particularly dim Magikarp. It was the second time in just a few days that Misty had acknowledged his achievements without him having to coax or force it out of her, and with the same breath she'd inferred how she considered Gary the inferior Trainer. And in Ash's mind, considering him the superior Trainer proved she thought of him as the superior person and the superior _male. _It astonished him, how much this knowledge pleased him.

'And anyway,' she continued in a teasing tone, 'you should be glad – now you have one more month to prepare for the humiliation of losing to me!'

Ash laughed cockily as he swung the door of the Battle Complex open for her. 'In your dreams, Mist!'

*****

When Gary Oak strolled into his homeroom the very next day, he was greeted by a rather amusing sight. For reasons of his own Gary had made it to class rather earlier than usual, but he was already there. Gary stopped dead when he saw him.

Ash was defending his right to sit in front of Misty, leaning back in his usual chair with his arms crossed and a triumphant expression on his face. Gary had to hand it to his rival – Ash never did things by halves. Ash's unexpected foresight had disrupted Gary's casual plan to mess with his rival's head yet again. A less arrogant person would be intimidated, humbled by failure or at least disappointed at having their plan thwarted, but not Gary. Ash's defensive behavior told him that the younger boy was already sufficiently wrangled.

He cackled openly at Ash's serious attempt at mastery, amused by the ridiculously smug look on the younger boy's face. Ash looked like he had won a Pokemon League instead of simply claiming what was rightfully his. Ash pouted like a kindergartener at Gary's reaction, wishing he could illicit a more satisfying response - frustration or defeat would work - from his adversary.

Misty, however, was eyeing him with more than her usual ferocity, and Gary was glad to see that his little threat had struck home so successfully. He shook his head condescendingly at the stubborn pair before turning his back on them completely and making his way over to his own seat, still snickering to himself.

As Gary settled himself in his seat, Ash turned back to Misty with a somewhat resentful expression. But before he could fall to abusing his rival Professor Birch strolled through the door, looking sterner than usual as he declared he had yet another announcement to make. His tone was enough to keep the class quiet as the rest of the students filed through the door. The Professor looked a little ruffled and Ash suspected his rather routine-oriented teacher wasn't thrilled at the avalanche of changes breezing through Pokemon High this month.

'After a number of…_comments _about the Double Team Tournament -from parents and students alike - Pokemon High have decided to ease the transition from the regular single battle style to the double format that will be instigated in the competition. On Friday regular Appeal and Battle practices will be cancelled and instead all students will have the chance to practice their skills in a Pairs battle. As on the day of the Double Team League, you will be assigned your battle partner as well as your opponents. However,' Professor Birch continued in a rather disgruntled voice 'you will only complete one match in this mode, for as we want you to be acquainted with the techniques you need we do not want you to become over familiar with the pairs concept. After all, this competition is designed to test your mettle.'

The Professor sighed, looking strangely reluctant to continue.

'Ahem – and, particularly to appease the Coordinators in the school, Professor Oak has decided to introduce another event which he hopes will become tradition.'

Ash wanted to laugh at his teacher's resigned and distinctly uncomfortable expression. Brilliant as he was, Professor Oak tended to have rather outlandish ideas and if laid back Professor Birch was wary of the new 'tradition' it probably meant that the students would be too.

'As the weekend after the Double Team competition is the Halloween weekend, Pokemon High will be hosting a – er, a _dance. _A costume ball of sorts.'

The room was deathly quiet as the group of teenagers absorbed the information. The silence was deafening.

'And _why _would a freakin' _dance _appease the Coordinators in the school?' Drew demanded rudely, breaking the eerie quiet. Professor Birch did not attempt to berate him for his insolence. 'Perhaps because Coordinators like to get dressed up, no?' he replied, looking at Drew benevolently.

Drew wasn't impressed. He simply crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, muttering to himself. Professor Birch ignored him and hurried to finish his statement.

'The dance will be held in the Appeal Complex on the night of the Double Team Tournament, and though dressing up is naturally optional we encourage you all to -' he checked the announcement sheet, grimacing slightly '- enter into the, erm, _spirit_ of the occasion.'

Ash wasn't listening, horror spilling through him at the connotations of such an event. Balls meant dancing. Dancing meant dates. Dates meant _girls._

On his arrival at Pokemon High, Ash had been only too relieved to discover that the school had chosen ignore the usual rites and rituals that went along with high school. Heck, that was why he'd become a Pokemon Trainer, to escape all that! But now, here it was – a dance, foisted upon him when he was nothing but an innocent bystander! And no matter what angle he examined the issue from, he came to the same conclusion – he needed a date for that freakin' ball. And if romantic precedent was to be followed, he would have to do the asking.

Professor Birch began class uninterrupted but Ash was too lost in his own contemplations to listen. A very worrying concept was brewing in the back of his mind. He knew it as clearly as he knew the pen in his fingers or the blank page in front of him, and no amount of internal arguing could displace the idea. There was only one girl Ash Ketchum wanted to spend the evening alone with.

Frightened by the consequences of such a certainty, Ash quickly decided to use a process of elimination to hit upon the perfect date, muttering something about madness and jumping to conclusions prematurely. All he needed was to prove to himself and to the world that asking her was the logical thing regardless – then he wouldn't have to worry about the other reasons that lurked at the back of his mind. Settling back in his chair, Ash gave up all pretensions of work and began to think.

Technically, he had all the girls in the school to choose from - bar Nurse Joy and Professor Ivy, though he knew a certain spiky haired Casanova who would have been tripping over himself to ask one of the two strictly off limits staff members. One thing _was _for certain – Ash knew he didn't have to worry over the prospect of turning up alone. As the School Champion he had gained his fair share of fan girls, but the idea of spending the evening _alone _with one of the perky little females that chased him after school or plagued him in the halls was downright nauseating. Ash reluctantly reasoned the most sensible approach was to ask a friend, single as he was. He sighed audibly, knowing every step in his deductions took him closer to the inevitable.

It didn't take long for Ash to assemble a list of his close female friends – after all, there were only three of them. However, he was immediately forced to rule May and Dawn out for good. Despite the fact that he'd known them both longer than their respective suitors, Ash knew it was against the laws of manhood to ask a girl out if your friend had a thing for her, even if you were strictly just friends with the girl in question. Anyway, he'd always found the idea of considering either May or Dawn romantically _disturbing_.

Ash's insides contracted as he realized he was left with only one choice.

Misty.

She was his best friend. It was only natural that he should want to enjoy her company for an evening, and Ash couldn't see any reason why she would say no. What worried Ash was that the idea of having her as his date was certainly not repulsive. Ash tried to ignore it but he was pretty sure that the little thrill coursing through his veins was the opposite of reluctance.

Ash caught his thoughts sharply with a little shake of his head. He would ask Misty as a friend and that was the end of it. No big deal, Ash told himself firmly. He tried to stop himself from analyzing his own feelings as he immersed himself in his school work, trying to ignore the soft sighs coming from the person behind him. The end of class couldn't come quickly enough for him.

When the bell rang, Ash gathered up his things as usual and stood by his desk waiting for Misty to finish, just as he always did. She hurried to join him, a bright smile on her face.

'Wow, a dance! I -'

'I'm so glad we get a practice battle, aren't you Misty?' Ash interrupted suddenly, smiling a little scarily. 'I haven't competed in a pairs competition for so long, I bet I'm a bit rusty...

As they made their way down the hall together Ash rambled on and on in a voice that rose steadily higher and higher in pitch, twittering away about everything _but _the dance as he skirted around the subject with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Misty narrowed her eyes at him but he didn't see to notice - he was too busy airing his opinion on the weather outside. Unnoticed she cocked her head to the side as she watched him, trying to figure out why he was so nervy all of a sudden. Sure, Ash liked to talk as much as the next person but at this rate he was going to give himself a hernia. Gritting her teeth Misty patiently endured his prattle until they reached the doors of the of the Battle Complex, but before he could so much as swing the door open for her she unceremoniously seized him by the ear and dragged him to the side, ignoring the scandalized looks of the Trainers behind them.

'Ow, Misty!' Ash whined, distracted at last from his drabbles. Forgetting about his dilemma he eyed her furiously, rubbing his abused ear. 'What was that for?!'

The redhead simply placed her hands menacingly on her hips, highlighting her long legs in a way that definitely was not lost on Ash.

'Spit it out, Ash,' she said impatiently, skipping the subtleties and getting straight to the point. 'What's wrong? You look like a Stantler caught in the headlights!'

Ash gulped nervously as he realized his attempt at casual conversation had fallen hopelessly short. His cheeks flushed in embarrassment but he stood up a little straighter in an effort to prove he wasn't crazy. Attempting to overlook his blunder he opened his mouth, preparing to ask her for the pleasure of her company in a husky voice, just like they did in movies. After all, the idea of her spending the evening with someone else was so repugnant that he wanted to make sure it couldn't happen.

But he just couldn't do it. He swallowed thickly. Why was it so difficult for him to ask her such a simple question? After all, she was his best friend, and as they were both single it was only natural that they should go together. There was no reason she should suspect anything else. Not that there _was _anything else to suspect… After all, it wasn't as if he was asking her on a _date _or something…

Then how come, Ash thought to himself, I can't unstuck my own throat and spit the words out? The answer didn't bear thinking about. At that terrifying notion Ash made his move.

'Uhh, I'll see you later, Misty,' Ash blurted out hurriedly before bolting away like a startled Pidgey. He disappeared into the Battle Complex without so much as a backward glance.

Misty was left staring after him with a stupefied expression, ignoring the strange looks from the other Trainers filing past. What was it that had left him so flustered? Could it be the Pairs practice? No, Misty reasoned to herself. Ash's overconfidence meant nothing _that_ trivial could ever scare him. Then what…?

Her breath caught in her throat and her heart beat a little faster as she hit upon the truth. She shook her head, a huge smile appearing on her face. Trust Ash Ketchum to jump straight in. She just hoped that next time, he would manage to get the words out.

*****

'That is sad, Ash,' Drew proclaimed in a superior voice as Ash finished his tragic tale.

Ash snarled, and dodging around Paul he swiftly shoved his stupid, smug, grassy haired friend over, attempting to release some of his pent up frustration. Caught off guard, Drew stumbled and smacked sharply into the wall. He groaned as he righted himself, hurriedly fixing his hair before diving towards Ash with a furious expression. But before he could successfully jam Ash's head through a wall Paul stepped between them, his iron hard grip restraining them both like errant children.

'Cool it, you two,' the purple haired teen growled, eyeing his friends disapprovingly. 'Drew, we're meant to be helping Ash, not crippling him. Ash, Drew's right. That _is _sad.'

Drew sniggered at Ash's incensed expression, but before Ash could enunciate one of the many curse words fighting for release Paul cut him off.

'Ash, face it - you messed up. But get a grip, dude, it's not the end of the world!'

Ash shot Paul a filthy look but thought better of trying to pick a fight. Paul could still get scary sometimes.

'Yeah, no need to get so _violent,_' Drew grumbled, still rubbing the side of his head.

'You know, you're both doing a spectacularly crap job at helping me out,' Ash snapped, irked at his friends' flippant attitude.

'Ash, chill out! You can just ask her at lunch!' Paul said exasperatedly. 'Why are you even worrying? At this rate you'll be the first person in the school with a date!'

'Yeah – if she forgives you for being a wimp,' Drew said snidely.

'I don't see you asking May,' Ash shot back heatedly, ignoring Paul's reasonable comment.

'And why would I ask May?' Drew said frostily, all the teasing draining instantly out of his face. Ash opened his mouth to retaliate but Paul was too quick.

'For the same reason Ash would ask Misty,' he said haughtily. 'Because you have a crush the size of Kanto on her! Man, we found out about this thing _three hours _ago and you two are already obsessing!'

Satisfied by the dumbstruck expressions on the faces of his friends, Paul continued serenely down the hallway. He was so busy feeling smug with himself that he didn't notice Ash and Drew exchange determined looks, all resentment between them forgotten. Gritting their teeth, the two younger teens eyed their friend murderously.

'Now!' Ash hissed.

Drew made a mad leap in Paul's direction, but before Ash could do the same his attention was caught by something far more pressing than beating Paul to a pulp.

Misty was hovering by the lunchroom doors at the end of the hall, but she was not alone. May was lurking behind her with a horrified expression on her usually smiling face, and Dawn didn't look much better. But more importantly, Gary Oak was leaning against the wall beside her, his arms crossed in the picture of casual self confidence. The racket in the hall meant Ash couldn't hear what his adversary was saying but the poorly concealed expression of shock on Misty's beautiful face spoke volumes.

Forgetting all about Drew and Paul Ash raced down the hall towards her, never taking his eyes off the smug faced Gary. Ash wanted to kick himself. _How _had he not seen this one coming? Gary had made his opinion of Misty all too clear, but somehow the problem of asking her himself had driven any thoughts of his rival's plans out of Ash's mind. His blood pressure rose tenfold as he slunk nearer, hiding behind a group of freshmen as he caught the tail end of Gary's words.

'…I can come to the Gym and pick you up and everything. So yeah, what do you say?' The brunette's face showed not a hint of doubt. He had arranged his request in a way that left her unable to say no. White hot flames licked Ash's insides as he read the other boy's satisfied expression.

'Uhhh…' Misty stuttered, her face now painted with confusion. Hidden as he was she didn't seem to have noticed Ash's presence, but Dawn, who had been watching his approach, caught his eye immediately. She gestured frantically at Gary, her eyes wide as she mouthed something that looked like "do something!" to Ash. Ash didn't have time to wonder how his old traveling companion knew of his intentions with Misty - he was too busy trying to discover how he could turn the situation around.

He agonized momentarily as he turned a crazy rescue plan over in his head, ignoring the delight on the faces of the girls he was huddling behind. There was an excellent chance it would backfire spectacularly in his face – all she had to do was speak the truth and he would be exposed as a desperate, jealous liar. He gulped as he remembered their heads so close together only the day before; he knew if Misty really _did_ want to go with Gary he would end up with a mallet shaped crater in the side of his head. But he couldn't just step back and allow Gary to steal her away – not if there was a possibility that she didn't want him to. This was his only chance.

*****

Whew! Well, I hope you all approve of the Double Team League. It's been the focal point of the story all along, and I think it's going to turn out well.

Once AGAIN please review! I love feedback, and even if you have nothing constructive to say a line saying you're enjoying this totally brightens my day! Ideas for costumes would be much appreciated as well :D

I recently published a new one-shot called 'A Beautiful Lie' – check it out if you get the chance. It's written in the style that I hope to adopt for the sequel of this fic (but it will not be from the same person's point of view), so let me know what you think.

And if you're wondering about the chapter title…well, its meant to be sarcastic!

Song: Babycakes by 3 of a Kind.

Review Responses:

Thank you so much, all you lovely people who review! 15, another record…you all ROCK!

_Ronmione X3: _The magazine Ash was reading was the Water issue that featured Misty…don't worry, it wasn't Playboy or anything! My Ash is nice :D

_eevee-love: _Your review was really encouraging…I'm trying to bring a little realism to the story, but I'm glad you're still enjoying!

_DevoTheMadCashCow: _Haha I'm glad you enjoyed the A/G/M moment in the last chapter…I wrote a really good scene between the three of them for this chapter but then I decided the characters weren't developed enough to include it so I'm saving it! There's loads of Gary in the next chapter so hold on :D

_AzureKite4: _The Water show is actually a very important event in Ash's development, but you'll have to wait and see :D Thank you for sticking with me! I'm glad you're still with me!

_Rissyychan: _Thanks for the compliment :D I sort have OCD about my stories – I have to have everything fit perfectly. I don't like it when fanfiction writers leave out major characters just because they feel like it. Anyway, soooo glad you're enjoying!

_CantHelpThisSmile: _I hope you approved of the announcement! The story does have to go somewhere, after all…and Pictures of You is one of my all time faves!

_Arysd:_ I'm glad you appreciate the back story – I like to have all that stuff straight. I want this to be realistic, and in real life people who have trailed you for seven years don't drop off the face of the earth for no reason! And I agree with you about Gary's hair…he's a hot character :D thank you so much for sticking with this story! And I'm glad you like the song, I thought it fit this chapter pretty well.

_: _Hey, I'm glad you're enjoying! I really wanted to make this canon – there are so many Pokemon high school fics out there but not many of them fit with the actual story in the anime. And I love my Paul and Drew as well – as I've never seen the recent episodes I just do what I like with them!

_KawaiiCherryBlossom-aka-BWF: _Well, you already know you're awesome :D I hope you like the 'focus of the story!'

_TL_: Hahahaha. You know what? I rather enjoy a pie myself :D Did you know I'm fluent in Russian? And please, don't make fun of my vocabulary – my family say I sound like I've swallowed an eighteenth century novel. But I wait for the day when you use one of my big words in your own story, ha!

I want to write a story that includes the Rockets but I didn't think it would work for this one (mainly cause they always manage to turn up at the worst times) so I needed an explanation for their absence. And though you like to mock my inferiority (!) I'm glad you're enjoying this :D

_latesttrend-: _Thank you so much! I'm a big Gyarados fan as well, it's one of my favorite Pokemon. Haha you might have to wait a little while before the confession of undying love comes out, Ash isn't that quick…but I am SO glad you like this!!!

_HighQueen: _Whoa, killer review, girl! Awesome, thank you so much for the feedback! I love writing the Gary bits, he's so rude in an irresistible way! I am _so _happy I cheered up your day…btw, I went back and reread your Sensational fic the other day and its one of my all time favorites on FF :D I love your sexy Ash so much!

_Fire Drastar: _I know, I thought James was perfectly capable of being so ridiculous…btw, I wouldn't mind a Drastar! Dragons and horses are my favorite!

_Lonewold47SV: _Hey, thank you so much for adding me to your favorite author list! I'm glad you like my writing!

_FabioandRichard4Ever: _Sorry, another cliffy!!! :D


	9. I Want It All

Hello, lovely readers! Gosh, I am _so _sorry this chapter took so long – it's been the bane of my life for the last two weeks. For some unknown reason I had major problems with this one – I think I rewrote the first scene about five times. I know this is definitely not perfect but please go easy on me – writer's block is a terrible thing and I could really do with a little encouragement. I just really wanted to post this for you all.

I owe it to you all to tell you that I've pretty much come to the end of what I already had written for this story, thus updates will be coming less often. But I will work as fast as possible – don't worry, I'm not one of these cruel writers who gets you hooked and them leaves you hanging for months at a time. And now I am _very _thankful to present – Chapter 9!

Chapter Nine: I Want It All

Misty was livid.

Initially, she'd hardly been able to believe her ears when Gary had cornered her in the hall and, in front of seemingly millions of other students, brashly offer her the 'honor' of going as his date to the dance. At his cocky smirk, she'd been torn between the urge to rip his miserable head off and the desire to laugh and throw it right back in his face. She'd actually snorted, hardly able to believe he'd had the impudence to ask her when it was so glaringly obvious she would refuse. Did he think she was blind, or just downright stupid?

But before she could get a word in edgeways and tell him, with a sweetly poisonous voice, that he had as much chance as an ice cube in hell as of getting her to go with him, he'd seen her expression and changed tack at the speed of light. Misty never got the chance to use her 'now bug off before I whip out my mallet' line, cause the infuriating creep had hit her weak spot. He had begged, loudly and theatrically. In the middle of a packed hall. Where everyone within a twenty meter radius could see him clinging to her hand like a leech. It was only then that she had realized that he was actually serious.

Misty had broken out in a cold sweat at the revelation. Could she really refuse him? She was single, and despite what she had assumed to be Ash's best attempts she still hadn't a date for the dance. She had even predicated how the conversation would go:

'_I'm really sorry, Gary, but I can't go with you.'_

'_Why not, gorgeous? You already got a date?'_

'_Uhh, well you see I'm kinda hoping Ash is going to quit the scared little girl act and get together to ask me…'_

The thought had made Misty wince – that way she'd show Ash up as a loser and humiliate herself in one breath. But before she could fully contemplate the horror encroaching upon her, Gary Oak had made one of his rare slip-ups.

For the briefest of seconds, his eyes had left Misty's, straying to an eagerly eavesdropping group of swooning freshmen girls.

Misty's easy temper had bubbled over at the sight.

Now she stood, seething with fury as Gary continued on and on about something she couldn't be bothered to listen to. She clenched her fists together to stop herself from slapping him, or maybe just tugging his perfect hair out in wretched clumps. That stuck up jerk put me up to this deliberately, Misty raged, incensed. He knew I wouldn't be able to say no. He must have known Ash was going to ask me…well, I'm not going to play his games. I'm a powerful, independent girl. I'm not going to be guilt tripped or coerced into dating this underhand, backstabbing loser, especially if the love of my life wants to ask me instead. I'm not going to let Gary Oak get the best of me.

Misty focused, forcing herself to wait for a not entirely rude moment to interrupt his monologue. Now that she had actually began listening to the words coming out of his mouth, she was incredulous to discover he'd actually long given up on the subject of the ball and was simply taking the opportunity to boast on his own perfect person. Misty cursed her own distracting internal dueling. If she hadn't been so indecisive she could have cut him off long ago.

'…But yeah, I can come to the Gym and pick you up and everything. So yeah, what do you say?'

Misty narrowed her eyes dangerously, but Gary was too busy puffing out his chest to even notice. Her mouth snapped open, fury at his presumption and his vanity fighting to break loose. But before she could even formulate some suitably high and mighty words that would imply that she'd caught onto Gary's pathetic little scheme, a voice piped up so suddenly from behind the spiky haired idiot that Misty almost leapt out of her skin.

'I'm sorry, but Misty already has a, uh, a _date_ for the dance,' the voice announced loudly to the back of Gary's head.

Gary's triumphant grin died instantly, and he wheeled around to see a stiff-shouldered Ash glaring beadily back at him. Misty almost toppled over in shock, half expecting her heart to give out under the strain of pumping so fast. She fought to steady her breath, allowing her eyes to bore into Ash. What the _heck _was he up to?

Gary, however, had recovered his poise and was now glaring viciously at Ash, his brash overconfidence only slightly less evident than usual. He hadn't been expecting an interruption to his Romeo act and he was less than pleased at Ash's sudden appearance _before _he'd gotten a 'yes' out of Misty. But no matter what the situation, Gary never lost his sneaky quickness, or his wily determination. He could tell from Ash's transparent expression that his rival was lying through his teeth, and Gary quickly decided to call his rival's bluff.

'Oh yeah, Ketchum? And who might that be?' Gary said in a ringing voice, not a hint of doubt coloring his tone.

Misty felt like she'd had ice cubes poured into her stomach, but she fought to keep her face blank. She knew that whatever Ash said she'd have to go along with it, but not for the first time in her life, she had no idea what her best friend was going to say. She quickly gave up trying to catch his eye and stared at the ceiling, mentally praying that he would say what she so desperately wanted to hear.

Swallowing painfully, Ash hardened his willpower and did his best not to look at Misty.

'Me,' Ash stated simply, a steely glint in his eyes as he willed himself not to blush.

For a second, Misty's world went a little quiet, her mouth hanging open. Then, as she replayed his words over and over in her head, she felt the sudden urge to squeal or swoon like a stupid fan girl, or simply throw her arms around his neck in profound thanks for his saving her from Gary. She turned to grin at him but his eyes were still fixed stonily on Gary, a hot flush coloring his neck and ears.

Gary chuckled languidly, undisturbed. 'Is that so, Ashy boy?' he taunted. 'So…when did you ask her?'

Ash hesitated noticeably, words dying in his throat. In his haste he had forgotten to extend his fabulous plan further than butting into Gary and Misty's conversation, and now he was feeling the heat from his lack of foresight. Gary's smirk widened at his rival's uncertainty but that only served to strengthen Ash's determination to wrench Misty away from him. Racking his brains furiously, he actually managed to counter with a credible comeback.

'Yesterday, before battle practice,' Ash stated suddenly.

Misty's mouth dropped open again and she stared at Ash in open amazement, astonished and thoroughly impressed he had thought on his feet so quickly. She snapped her mouth shut quickly when she noticed Gary eyeing her furiously. He turned on her, his eyes blazing.

'Is that true?' he questioned aggressively as she started backwards.

Rage boiled up in Ash again. How dare he speak to Misty like that? He clenched his fists, preparing to get violent to defend Misty's honor if it came to it, though he doubted he would make it out of such a fight alive. Gary could still be unpredictable, but he was also still taller than Ash.

'Uhhh…yeah…yes. Yes, it's true,' she said firmly, visibly pulling herself together.

Wheeling around to face Ash again, Gary stared at his adversary with an ugly expression. He'd been outdone, and he knew it. But he wouldn't give Ash any more satisfaction. In fact, Gary decided then and there that Ash was going to pay.

With a supreme effort he summoned his usual smirk, his brain already kicking into overdrive. With a significant glance at Ash he turned back to Misty, reaching out and tucking a stray hair into place behind her ear, ignoring the accompanying flinch. Ash growled under his breath.

'Your loss, princess,' he breathed seductively. 'Maybe next time I'll get there fast enough, or -' he dropped his voice to a whisper, so Ash could no longer hear '- maybe I'll find some way of getting rid of Ashy-boy for you.'

Satisfied at her horrified expression, Gary turned and sauntered into the lunchroom without a backward glance at Ash. Misty watched him go with a stumped expression, before turning slowly back to face her savior.

Ash was gazing at a seemingly fascinating floor tile. Now that Gary was gone he could hardly bear to look at her. He dreaded what he would see in her face – she must think him so pathetic…

'Uhh…' He swallowed thickly, his eyes firmly on his feet, which were now scuffing the floor shyly. Naturally, he'd never stopped to think about how he was going to explain the _whys _of the situation to her. Ash had spent the last seven years of his life talking himself out of awkward situations but he'd never faced anything like _this _before. 'Misty, I…'

He almost fell over backwards when she flung her arms around him.

'Thank you!' she said fervently into his shoulder.

Ash blushed a deep crimson as she lingered just a little long over her embrace. He didn't know what to do – as much as he wanted to, it seemed a little forward to wrap his arms around her, so he contented himself with patting her gently on the back. He savored the feeling of having her so close to him, so soft and fragrant…

Neither Misty nor Ash noticed May and Dawn silently squealing in the background, eagerly observing the intimate moment between their best friend and his crush. Dawn, howver, seemed to come to her senses fairly early on, trying to drag May away before the brunette could smother their two friends with congratulations and wedding plans. They couldn't hope to squeeze past the pair without interrupting so Dawn resorted to simply dragging May further away from the lunchroom to a distance where they could reasonably pretend they had been too busy discussing Pokemon to notice their friends' 'odd' behavior. The idea might have worked, but as they backed hurriedly away they managed to bump straight into Paul and Drew.

'Watch it!' Drew hissed as May trod right on his foot. May jumped a foot in the air at the sudden voice, under the impression that the hall was empty apart from her three friends. Leaping around in surprise, her apologies faded away as she realized who her chastiser was.

Ash's sudden disappearance had quickly distracted Paul and Drew from their scuffle but they were both looking distinctly worse for wear. After creeping up behind Ash in interest they had both been too absorbed in Ash and Gary's exchange to fix their ruffled hair or crooked clothing.

'Shhh!' Drew hushed her before she could continue, gesturing furiously at Misty and Ash. May gaped like a Magikarp and he blushed under her scrutiny but otherwise ignored her. Paul eyed Dawn reluctantly, somewhat embarrassed to have been caught spying by a pair of girls – especially _this _pair of girls. Dawn was too busy resisting the urge to run her fingers through his uncharacteristically messy hair to even think of that.

Misty suddenly pulled back, her face as red as a tomato.

'Errr…yeah…thanks…' she stuttered, avoiding his eye and fiddling madly with her backpack. I can't believe I just did that, she whimpered inwardly. At least no one saw it. She glanced carefully around the empty hallway to check nobody was around. Then she caught sight of the foursome lurking in the doorway to an empty classroom. I'll never hear the end of this, she thought wryly as she surveyed the quietly cheering May and Dawn out of the corner of her eye. Ash, however, didn't notice the presence of his four other best friends – he was too busy trying to keep a goofy, triumphant grin from his face.

'You ready?' he asked gently, his heart thudding madly. She nodded, still very red, shooting a half panicked, half joyous glance back at the grinning May and Dawn as she followed him into the lunchroom.

'Wow,' Paul remarked quietly to Drew. 'I didn't think Ash had it in him!'

'Me neither!' the Coordinator replied, looking a little stunned. He glanced instinctively over at May, who was staring after the pair with a vaguely envious look on her face. Automatically she caught his eye but they both hastily withdrew their eyes, and he bolted through the lunchroom doors without so much as a word to Paul.

'Huh,' Paul muttered to himself, a little taken aback at being left so suddenly. He couldn't resist shooting Dawn a little look before leaving. She was watching him go. Paul flushed and cursed his own weakness before doing a Drew and racing from the hall, leaving two disgruntled girls behind him.

Meanwhile, Ash and Misty were standing together in the lunch line, an awkward silence hovering tangibly between them. Ash knew he was going to have to provide some sort of explanation for his presumptive behavior, but he was momentarily too busy replaying her embrace to think straight. He tried to say something coherent.

'Er…Misty, I...I'm sorry if I overstepped the mark back there. If you want to go with Gary or with anyone else, go ahead…I just didn't want you to be stuck with him if you didn't want to be.'

Misty's lingering embarrassment evaporated instantly. How could he doubt that she wanted to be with him after she had thrown herself on him like that?

'Ash,' she said exasperatedly. 'Why on earth would I want to be with Gary when I could be with you?' She bit her lip instantly, suddenly aware of the connotations such a sentence would imply.

'I dunno,' he stuttered. 'Gary's asked you out, I'm just your best friend…'

Misty's breath caught painfully in her throat as her chest constricted, and for a moment, she almost wanted to laugh at her own stupidity. Oh Misty, how naïve you are, she thought bitterly. There you were, stupid enough to think that Ash had asked you out. You should have known better.

She swallowed quickly and endeavored to keep her tone light and her face smiling.

'But you're the Champion,' she joked, her voice sounding painfully forced. 'And my best friend. _And _you're not a jerk!'

Ash shrugged, grinning, oblivious to her discomfort.

'Well…yeah…'

Misty laughed too loudly at his agreement before quickly grabbing her tray.

'Well thanks again Ash, I'll see you later,' she gabbled before dashing off without another word.

Ash stared after her, taken aback by her hurried disappearance. What had he done _now?_

*****

Misty stared down at her unappealing lunch as she waited for May and Dawn to join her. She'd spotted them joining the line, already deep in conversation while subtly avoiding Drew and Paul. She wasn't very hungry any more.

You should be thrilled, Misty thought severely. You're going to the dance with Ash! He saved you from Gary! He went out of his way to help you! What more do you want from him? What else do you have a _right _to expect?

Misty sighed, chewing on a fry absent mindedly. For a few brief, blissful minutes she'd actually believed Ash Ketchum had asked her out.

On top of her own painful mistake Gary's ill concealed warning hung menacingly in the distance, like a shady assassin waiting for a moment of weakness to strike. Nobody could call Gary Oak a man of few words but Misty knew he never wasted breath on empty threats. He'd taken Ash's interference as a challenge and Misty knew as long as she was caught in the middle, she was nothing but a pawn in Gary's relentless quest for mastery.

She sighed, reaching for her drink. I have to watch my back, she thought, her stomach clenching nervously.

May and Dawn wandered up a few minutes later, sporting trays full of food and matching beaming smiles.

'Misty, you must be so excited!' May gushed enthusiastically, under the impression that she was gratifying the emotions of her red haired friend.

'Yeah, you're going to the dance with Ash!' Dawn chirped as she ripped into her hamburger.

Misty smiled tightly at their enthusiasm, trying to force her face into the picture of happiness. I got what I wanted, she thought dully. Then how come I feel so sad?

*****

The week passed slowly for Misty, the days dragging their feet as they passed seemingly unwillingly. She was finding it increasingly difficult to keep a lid on her feelings for Ash, and as she was in constant contact with him she found the façade an impossibly exhausting thing to maintain. Even worse were the constant references to Ash as her boyfriend – like all good news, the rumor that Ash and Misty were going to the dance together had spread through Pokemon High like wildfire. Even May and Dawn had taken to referring to the pair as a couple when Ash wasn't around, but the blatant untruth of such statements were enough to make Misty feel dismal. But no matter how she was feeling, she was always comforted by his presence and she felt more than ever the assurance of how much he cared for her. She just wished she could enjoy his company without worrying about letting something slip.

That Friday Misty found herself pushing through the crowds after him, hardly able to breathe in the crush of people. All the students into the school were packed into the Battle Complex, either moving towards their assigned fields or joining the huge line in front of Nurse Joy's desk, the students buzzing with infectious anticipation as they waited to discover who would be their partner in the Pairs practice for the Double Team Tournament. Some of the battles were already beginning, the shouts of eager Trainers and a cacophony of Pokemon cries already filling the air.

Ash finally found the end of the line, falling into place behind a group of young Coordinators gawking around at the spectacular room. Misty had to suppress a giggle as she overheard an older looking boy say 'How come we don't get anything like this?' in a distinctly disgruntled voice.

'This is going to take forever,' Ash said testily, eyeing the long line with his usual amount of patience.

'Chill out, Ash,' Misty said, too busy watching a nearby battle that involved a Scizor and a Venosaur to sympathize. 'We'll find out soon enough!'

'Well, you don't have your Champion status on the line, do you?' Ash said huffily. 'I'm unbeaten around here!'

'Oho!' Misty exclaimed, turning around to face her antsy best friend. 'Is Ash Ketchum, Champion of the world, actually _nervous_ before a match?'

'No way!' Ash snapped back, flushing. 'I just hope I don't get stuck with someone like _you _as a partner!'

Misty raised an eyebrow, refusing to take the bait as she deigned to reply.

'What?!' Ash snapped, annoyed by the lofty look on her face.

'Oh, nothing,' Misty replied in a sing song voice, her eyes gleaming. 'You're just a crap liar, that's all!'

Ash growled. 'I'm not lying, I'm serious! At least I _have_ a status to defend!'

'Hey, I'm a Gym Leader!' Misty snapped back, immediately wrangled by his spiky comment and missing the fact that his reply _proved _he had been fibbing. 'That's better than School Champion any day!'

'Is not!'

'Is too!'

'IS NOT!'

'IS TOO!'

'AHEM!'

Ash and Misty, inches away from each other's faces, turned their murderous expressions in the direction of the interruption. They reeled simultaneously when they saw a scarily bad tempered Nurse Joy glaring back at them.

'When you're done?' she questioned acidly.

The two teens studied the floor in silence.

'Thank you.'

Nurse Joy turned back to her computer, tapping furiously.

'Hey, where'd the line go?' Ash joked feebly, rubbing the back of his head.

'I guess we scared them off,' Misty whispered back, sweatdropping.

When Nurse Joy turned back to them, she was smiling a little more pleasantly.

'Ash, you're on Grass Field Two, and Misty, you're on Rock Field Four. Both of you have been assigned the green Trainer platform, and your partner should be waiting for you. Now run along before I have to knock you're heads together!'

Chuckling nervously, the pair made a hasty retreat, excitedly swapping opinions as they wandered through the thinning crowds.

'I'm so glad I got the Rock Field,' Misty said excitedly. 'Water has the advantage!'

Ash shrugged, grinning impishly. 'Pikachu's at a disadvantage on the Grass Field but we're always managed to win – right buddy?'

'Pika pika!' came the enthusiastic response from the top of his head.

Misty rolled her eyes, toying with the idea of boxing his ears for his rudeness. Instead, she stood on her toes and began peering over the heads of the other students, trying to catch sight of her partner.

'Wait…I think that's…I think that's May! Ash, I think May's my partner!'

Ash beamed. 'Wow, really?' he said, leaning round a lanky sophomore to catch sight of the Rock Field she was gaping towards. 'I think you're right – you can't miss that thing she wears on her head!' He offered his hand for a high-five. 'That's great, Mist! You two will be unstoppable!'

Misty chuckled, slapping his hand. 'I know, right?'

Ash responded by giving her a quick shove, instead turning his attention towards the shady Grass Type area. But as much as he squinted, he couldn't make out the identities of any of the shadowy figures standing between the trees.

'I've got to go,' Ash said eagerly, still staring into the clump of bushes. 'Good luck with your match, okay? I know you'll do great!'

Misty cursed herself as she felt her cheeks heat up at the simply compliment. 'Thanks, Ash,' she stuttered. 'You too!'

Ash gave her one last winning smile before turning and racing into the trees. Misty sighed as she watched him go, chasing another victory like he always did. Ash would never change.

She felt a little wistful as she dragged herself over to the Rock Field but her bad mood vanished as she caught sight of May's beaming expression. It was hard to be discouraged around someone like the bubbly Coordinator.

'Misty!' she called excitedly. 'I can't believe we're partners!'

'I know, isn't this awesome?' Misty grinned back as she drew up to her friend, catching the infectious excitement. She turned and scrutinized their opponents objectively. One of them didn't look too imposing; a short freshmen age boy with a Cyndaquil, but the other was Ash's old friend Ritchie who was fairly highly ranked. Misty smiled, deciding to go and say hello before the match began.

'Check it out,' May murmured absent mindedly, running a hand through her already messy hair. Misty shot her a questioning look. 'Over there.' The Coordinator pointed to two students standing awkwardly together beside the red platform of a nearby Normal field, one green haired and the other a bluenette. Misty let out a little shocked laugh as she realized exactly who the two figures were.

'Dawn got Drew as a partner?' she questioned incredulously. 'What, you jealous or something, May?'

'No!' the brunette hissed, her cheeks darkening instantly. 'No way! I was talking about their opponent!'

Still chuckling to herself, Misty spared a glance for Dawn's adversary. Her stomach almost dropped out of her body at the sight of two icy blue eyes staring boldly back at her, a cruel smile underneath. Flanking the brunette was a taller boy with red hair, a steely glint in his gray eyes as he appraised the two Coordinators opposite him.

'They're going to have a tough time beating them,' May muttered. 'Daisy's ranked fourth, after Ash, Gary and Paul, and that boy who's her partner beat Dawn in a training match just last week. He's new but he's a lot better than he looks.'

'They'll be fine,' Misty said bracingly. 'Drew's a Champion, after all, and Dawn's no pushover either. She's ranked pretty close behind you, isn't she?' May nodded. 'But we have our own problems to worry about,' Misty said, dropping her voice as Ritchie caught sight of her and waved. 'What Pokemon do you have with you? We need to talk strategy!'

May grinned, and the two friends were soon deep in plot.

*****

Ash could hardly believe what he was seeing.

Standing by his assigned Trainer platform was a girl who looked vaguely familiar. She had short, spiky blonde hair, brown eyes and a huge, hyper grin plastered all over her face.

'Ash!!!' she squealed in a high pitched voice that reminded Ash of fingernails on a blackboard. 'Oh my gosh, I can't believe you're my partner! Like, this is going to be soooooo awesome! Just wait until everybody here's about this!!!'

Ash silently cursed the gods of the odds, wondering what he had done to deserve the joys of having one of his most loyal fangirls as a partner. His little club of stalkers had been making fewer appearances since Misty's arrival at Pokemon High, contenting themselves with sending the rather intimidating redhead evil glares when she wasn't watching, but this girl was obviously taking advantage of Ash's rare solidarity.

Ash winced as the girl prattled on and on, making a very unsubtle attempt to seize his hand and drag him closer. Ash just managed to jerk his hand out of the way, pretending to straighten his hat while hurriedly backing away. The girl didn't seem perturbed – she simply closed in on him, still talking at a million miles a second.

'Eh, yeah great, uh…Amy!' Ash remembered the girl's name just in time, shuddering at the memory of how she had stuffed her picture in his locker with her number scrawled in lipstick on the back.

However, this Amy was a worse partner than just your average fan girl. She was the child of parents who clearly had too much money and not enough sense, coupled with a stack of dreams they themselves had been unable to fulfill. They lived vicariously through their child, pushing her to be a Pokemon Coordinator when she clearly possessed neither a desire to do so nor any natural ability in the field. Undoubtedly they had packed her off to the world's best Pokemon school in hopes a superior education in the Pokemon world would boost their daughter's chances of becoming a star. As far as Ash knew, the only enthusiasm she'd shown for Pokemon so far was cooing over his disgruntled Pikachu (she'd given that up pretty early into the semester) and watching him battle. Despite this, Ash couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her – there were a few others like her at Pokemon High, and you could always pick them out of a crowd from the bored, resentful looks on their faces paired with expensively out of place clothes. But all sympathy aside, Ash was now left with a partner who barely knew which side of a Pokeball was up.

And just then, when Ash thought things couldn't get any worse, he heard a low chuckle coming from behind him.

Blanking Amy and her drabble, as wheeled around to find himself staring straight into the face of none other than Gary Oak.

'You!' he exclaimed, balling his hands

'Me,' Gary smirked. 'The one and only.'

'What are you doing here?!' Ash hollered, ignoring the stares. Trust Gary to appear at this of all moments.

'I happen to be battling on this field, you imbecile. And if you're too thick to figure that out, that means you're my opponent.'

Ash growled, his competitive edges tingling. This would be the perfect way to get Gary back for daring to make a play for Misty. 'Get ready to lose, Oak,' he spat.

Gary laughed softly, the sound sending shivers up Ash's spine as. This couldn't be good.

'Oh but Ash, don't you want to meet _my _partner?'

And before Ash could shoot back a sufficiently biting response, his words died in his chest as a figure moved out of the shadows towards him. It was Paul.

Ash wanted to scream with frustration at the unfairness, mentally cursing his own bad luck as well as the day he'd started at this stupid school. The school seeded two and three, against the Champion and an amateur.

Paul grimaced hopelessly at Ash, wishing he could whack his so-called partner in the face. Ash just nodded, hoping his despair wasn't showing on his face. There was nothing either of them could do. A battle was a battle, and they both would try and win.

Gary was grinning now, triumph and mirth all over his face as Amy drew closer to Ash with a hesitant look on her face. She was eyeing Paul timidly, as if afraid he was going to eat her or something.

'Let's do this, Ashy-boy. Let's prove to your pretty redhead that _I'm_ the man around here.'

Ash snarled, ignoring the curling worry in his stomach. 'I'll show you, Gary!'

'I think not, Ash. I'll be fighting her off after this and you know it.'

And with another nasty smirk, Gary turned on his heels and headed for the red Trainer with Paul trailing reluctantly behind him.

A little nervous cough from behind him recalled Ash to his senses. Ignoring the bundle of nerves and dread knowing at him from the inside, Ash wheeled around and marched jerkily towards his own Trainer platform, cracking his knuckles determinedly. He had work to do.

*****

Finis! Thank goodness! Remember, this is only the practice and the pairs will change for the actual competition. And believe me, things are about to get interesting! If you're a reader, please review – I need to hear some of you lovely encouragement to get this story kick started again.

Song Inspiration: Fate by Bleak, and Pretty Green Eyes by Ultrabeat.

_**Review Replies:**_

16 for the last chapter! You guys all rock insanely, I love you all!

_Azurekite4_: I was tempted to let Ash kick Gary's butt, but other stuff needs to happen first! Hmm, Gary as Ash's personal golf ball is an interesting idea, if I could draw I would so do a fanart of that!

_Teva Faye_: Hey there! I would never let Misty break Gary's heart, I'mm too much of a Pokeshipper for that!

_Ronmione X3_: SO sorry this took so long…I hope Ash's reaction was satisfactory XD

_eevee-love_: Glad you liked Ash's little self protection exercise!

_Fire Drastar_: Nice job – you figured out Ash's master plan! I know, I came up with the random parters thing cause it gave me a lot more to work with than simply assigning every character someone to stick with, and left a lot more suspense in the story. Glad you approve! And I'd love a virtual Drastar!

_KawaiiCherryBlossom-aka-BWF_: I know, that line is _so _Pokeshippy but hey, I couldn't resist! As for May/Drew and Dawn/Paul – that might take a little longer, but it is coming, particularly May/Drew.

Oh, and I have a favor to ask – if you ever publish that one shot you mentioned to me, please let me know so I can read it! You rock, my dearest :D

_Caro Miro_: Egoshipping actually annoys me as well, so I have no idea how this practically turned into an Ash/Misty/Gary triangle story. Brock will be making an appearance, possibly in the chapter after next. Thanks!!!

_swimming-toon-lover_: Hey, thanks for reviewing! Thanks for all the compliments on my writing – I want to be an author so there's nothing I appreciate more! I wanted to stick fairly close to the anime so I'm glad you think I accomplished that. So glad you're enjoying!

_pikagurl23_: Hey, thanks for the review – they're always appreciated. I'm so glad you're reading this and enjoying it too! And I'm glad you're planning to stick around to see what happens next!

_HighQueen_: Hey girl! So glad you approve of the Double Team League – and I'm glad you like my Drew, he's a hottie! I'm really looking forward to writing the next couple of chappies, its gonna be crazy.

And I agree with you on how annoying it is, having a hormone-less Ash…but then again, if he had hormones he might hit on Dawn and then I would be forced to kill the people who make the show :D You rock, my dear!

_Rissyychan_: Hey, glad you like the bits of plot that are being revealed…thanks for sticking with me!

_DevoTheMadCashCow_: Haha, glad you like that line, it was one of my faves in the last chapter! Glad you like the whole double battles thing – I thought it brought a very interesting dynamic, since this is a shipping fic. Thanks for sticking with me! Lots more Gary in the next chapter for ya :D

_Link Fangirl 101_: Hey, thanks for reviewing! I am glad you like the way I made this non-AU, I've read loads of high school pokemon fics before and pretty much all of them have been way different from the anime. Anyway, glad you're reading and enjoying!

_Arysd_: Hey, glad you liked the last chapter! I know, I love Ash, Drew and Paul…I almost wish I'd actually written in the fight scene!

_mudkipluvr4ever_: Oh, I'm keeping going with this one, glad you think they're not too OOC!

_Texas Longhorn_: Hahaha, you can't just admit that you liked it, can you??? And I will be reviewing your new chapter asap. Or maybe not, since you hated my last chapter so much!

_Ryuu117_: True!


	10. Scream

Hey peeps and peepettes! This chapter is a beast but I love it, so enjoy :) I love you all!

Chapter Ten: Scream

Gary couldn't resist a derisive cackle as he watched the ruffled looking Ash take to the opposing platform, choosing to ignore the silent hate waves emitting from the taller purple haired teen beside him. Minus the scowling face, Gary had to admit – he couldn't have been luckier with his partner. Gary was banking on the fact that despite Ash and Paul's friendship, both Trainers would try and win – he knew their competitive instincts would eventually overcome any conscious resistance. After all, future Pokemon Masters don't stop for anything.

Ash, on the other hand, had failed dismally in the partner sphere. His lucky little gal pal couldn't tell an Aerodactyl from a Cleffa, let alone win a battle. Gary had to chuckle as he watched the petite blonde wobble precariously as she scaled the ladder up to the green platform behind Ash, utterly ignored by her raven haired partner. Ash really could not have landed a more incompetent cohort, and while the tiny compassionate part of Gary actually felt sorry for his rival's misfortune, the much larger, self serving part of him rejoiced in Ash's bad luck. In fact, when Gary looked at it objectively, he could almost be sure that the fates were against his childhood friend, seeing as Gary's own wishes had all miraculously come true. Ash's usual cheery grin was nowhere to be seen, along with his overconfidence and good natured digs – instead, his face was set into cold, hard determination.

On the other side of the field, Ash was rapidly trying to come up with a battle strategy that would shield Amy's weaknesses, thanking his lucky stars that he'd brought a decent team with him.

'What Pokemon do you have?' he questioned his uncharacteristically silent partner in a brusque voice.

'Umm, I have Vulpix, Treecko, Azurill, Goldeen, Metapod and Weedle with me. Is that okay?' Amy replied hesitantly.

Ash groaned inwardly. One Pokemon that had undoubtedly been a gift from her snooty parents, one starter, one baby, one that couldn't even be used on the Grass field, one that most likely didn't know anything but Harden, and one impossibly easy catch. And yet, he had no doubt that this was Amy's best team. He was just thankful this was not a full twelve on twelve Pairs match – then he wouldn't have to endure Gary's expression when he sent out Azurill.

'That's fine,' he said through gritted teeth, resisting the urge to tell her he'd have a better chance of winning if she simply quit now and became his temporary cheerleader. 'Listen, I don't want to come off as a know-it-all but…just follow my lead, okay?' It wasn't often Ash called upon his Champion status to get people to do what he wanted, but he figured now was an acceptable time to capitalize on his position.

'Oh no,' Amy said eagerly. 'I'll do exactly what you tell me. You know what you're doing – you are the Champion after all!' she finished in a dreamy voice.

Ash had to grip the bar in front of him to stop himself from pushing her off the platform and down into the field below. He vaguely wondered when he had gotten so senselessly violent, blaming it on Gary's arrogance and Misty's bad influence. After all, the girl did carry a mallet with her throughout their travels, and she'd never hesitated to knock some 'sense' into Ash before.

Ash felt the tension dissipate at the mere thought of his best friend, and of her blushing face as he's wished her good luck. Misty wouldn't despair in a situation like this – she'd hit back twice as hard. It was her grit and sheer determination that had brought her so far. She simply never gave up.

Ash was jolted out of his rather enjoyable reflections by another comforting voice.

'Pikapi, pika pika.'

'Thanks, Pikachu,' Ash said gratefully as the little mouse leapt from its spot on top of his head in preparation for the battle.

'Come on, Ashy boy, I don't have all day,' came the snide voice from the other side of the field. Glancing up sharply, Ash just had time to see Paul flexing his fingers as if resisting the urge to clamp them around Gary's throat.

Growling under his breath, Ash yanked his hat into battle position and seized a Pokeball from his belt, throwing it down into the field in front of him.

'Staraptor, go!' he shouted. With a challenging caw, the magnificent bird of prey appeared in a flash of red light, soaring around the field in an impressive sweep.

'Send out your Treecko,' he hissed at Amy. She started at the sound of his voice, too busy ogling him in 'battle mode' to worry about her own choice of Pokemon.

'Sure,' she said meekly, her eyes on him as she reaching automatically for the Pokeballs on her hip. Her hand froze and she frowned, dragging her gaze away from him as her fingers ghosted from Pokeball to Pokeball.

It took all of Ash's willpower not to lose his temper there and then. He clenched his jaw tight and remained silent, resigning himself to the outcome of her hesitations. He just prayed she wouldn't send out Goldeen.

Amy was aware of Ash's eyes on her and she grew flustered, her face reddening as she eventually threw caution to the wind and seized one of the tools on her hip, chucking it into the field with a hopeful expression.

When the red light faded, Ash crashed to the ground.

'Weedle!'

There was a burst of stunned silence in the field before a howl of raucous laughter pierced the muggy forest air.

Ash stared numbly at the two Pokemon on the field. Weedle was squeaking furiously, attempting to flee from Staraptor's predatory glance and into the nearby bushes. Ash knew his Pokemon was far too proud and sensible to ever attack another Trainer's Pokemon, but it was clear the large bird was enjoying torturing its pathetic partner with silent threats and shows of mastery.

Ash let out a hollow laugh. A Bird Type and a Bug Type, working together. It was a match made in hell. Ash desperately wanted to turn on Amy in a Misty-like fury and release some of his frustration, but when he glanced at her crushed expression he just couldn't do it, the furious words fading from his mind before he could so much as open his mouth. Yelling at her won't make this any better, Ash thought despairingly, but I don't see how this could get any worse. Turning back to the field, he saw that eedle was attempting to burrow into the grass to escape from Staraptor, who was lazily preening one of its vast wings.

Gary had to wipe the tears from his eye as he finally straightened up, still letting a cackle escape him. Paul was stoic as ever, eyeing the pitiable Bug Type impassively, knowing any sign of amusement on his part would only fuel his cruel partner's jeers.

'You know Ashy-boy, I almost feel sorry for you.' Gary paused with a malicious smirk. 'Almost.'

'Save it, Gary,' Ash shot back icily.

Before Gary could say another taunting word, Paul cleared his throat forcefully. Gary paused, annoyed at the interruption, and glanced at his mute partner.

'When you're done acting like an asshole,' Paul said pointedly, reaching for a Pokeball.

Gary growled, snatching a Pokeball from his own belt and throwing it into the arena before him with a defiant jerk.

'Arcanine, go!' he shouted.

Paul sighed. 'Torterra, go,' he muttered as he tossed the ball with a sigh.

Gary turned to glare at him, all traces of mocking now gone from his face.

'Look lively, purple, and make a better choice of Pokemon next time. We're gonna run Ashy-boy and his girlfriend into the ground, and you know it.'

Paul leveled him with a flat stare. 'Don't make me kill you.'

Gary blinked and his mouth dropped open comically but Paul continued to glare with cool menace. Gary made to retort back but was distracted from his reply as Ash suddenly made the first move of the match.

'Staraptor, use Wing Attack on Torterra! Weedle, use…uh, use String Shot on Arcanine!'

On the other side of the field, Amy almost toppled off the platform as her Pokemon actually followed Ash's command, shooting stringy white goo into the face of Gary's incensed Arcanine. Caught off guard, Torterra flew backwards under the force of Staraptor's glowing wings as they smashed into the tree topped Pokemon.

'Yay!' Amy squealed gazing adoringly at Ash. 'He listened to you!' She sighed deeply. 'You have such a way with Pokemon…' she trailed off dreamily.

Ash stepped backwards hastily, returning his gaze to the battle. He _was_ surprised that Amy's Pokemon had listened to him so readily, but he privately believed that Weedle would have listened to any competent Trainer, as its own Trainer was so obviously lacking the leadership necessary to command a Pokemon's respect.

Gary seethed as he watched Arcanine writhe, more irritated by the attack than hurt, shooting Paul a murderous glance for distracting him from the battle. The other teen was too busy checking his own Pokemon to notice.

'Arcanine, use Flamethrower to blast that Weedle away!' Gary roared. Arcanine gave a last shake of its mane to rid itself of the clinging sap and leapt forward impressively, unleashing a burst of blazing flames at the cowering Weedle.

Ash's heart leapt into his throat. One touch of that fire and Weedle would be out until next _week._

'Staraptor, use Gust to drive that Flamethrower back!'

Gary watched in horror as the half Flying Type swooped downwards, and with a powerful thrust of its wings the jet flames doubled back, engulfing both Red Team Pokemon. Arcanine was thrown backwards with the force of the reverse attack, but the flames didn't do much damage to the Fire Type.

'PAUL!' Gary exploded as Arcanine landed in a heap. 'DO something!' He jabbed his finger at the vulnerable Staraptor to strengthen his point.

Paul, who had been watching the match like a spectator instead of a competitor, jerked out of his reverie and reluctantly responded. Torterra had received a bad singeing but was recovering from the worst of the blast, and was now waiting patiently for its Trainer's commands.

'Torterra, Leaf Storm,' he said in his commanding voice.

Torterra responded instantly, the tree on its back glowing pale green as it charged the coming attack. A sudden a burst of emerald light exploded from the half grass type, a stream of razor sharp leaves powering towards Staraptor. The other Pokemon was too busy directing its own attack at Arcanine to even notice the whirlwind heading its way.

'Staraptor!' Ash cried in anguish the attack hit, knocking the Pokemon off balance and causing it to plummet towards the ground. Just before it became a crater in the field, the bird twisted in the air and hastily righted itself – barely escaping. Its movements were distinctly jerkier and it let out a haunting cry as it took to the skies again

Ash growled, relieved to see him Pokemon still off the ground. He'd risked Staraptor's safety to protect Amy's Weedle, an automatic reflex, but the move hadn't paid off – unethical as it sounded, he knew he should be more concerned with Staraptor's safety than Weedle's as his Pokemon was their only chance at victory in this round. But Ash also knew Staraptor couldn't fight two Pokemon at once, especially not while shielding Weedle. I need a way to keep Weedle out of harm, but that will still allow it to attack. Torterra's weak to Bug Types…

Inspiration burst into Ash's brain as he glanced at the large, lofty bird and the tiny half Poison Pokemon. He knew he had seconds to react – Arcanine was getting to its feet and Torterra had already recovered after the use of its powerful attack.

'Staraptor, get Weedle on your back!' he yelled. The half Normal type responded instantly, swooping down to the ground and crouching beside the pathetic Pokemon. Ash watched it in admiration, knowing Staraptor was suppressing every natural urge to attack for the sake of the battle.

Weedle, however, was not convinced. The worm was now backing away hurriedly, seemingly intent on disappearing into one of the nearby trees.

'Weedle, get on Staraptor's back!' Ash yelled desperately.

'Arcanine, use another Flamethrower!'

'Torterra, charge up for a Giga Drain.

Ash tried very hard not to panic as Arcanine summoned the vaguely star shaped wheel of fire, and as Torterra's spikes began to glow acidic green he knew it was now or never.

'Staraptor, grab Weedle and use Quick Attack to get away!'

The bird didn't need telling twice. Grabbing the squealing Weedle in its beak, it launched itself into the sky and disappeared in a flash of light, appearing high above the head of its whooping Trainer. Back down on the field, the combined attack of flames and chartreuse light hit the spot where Staraptor had been crouched a mere second before, and from the smoking crater the blast left Ash fervently glad his Pokemon had gotten away in time.

Up in the air, Staraptor tossed the wriggling Weedle above its head, earning a squeal from an anxious Amy. But the bird didn't swallow the worm like she foolishly feared it would, but simply allowed the Bug type to come to rest on its back.

'Great job, Staraptor!' Ash hollered excitedly. But he knew his problems weren't over yet. Already weakened from the Leaf Storm, Staraptor was now looking even more tired from the strain of the Quick Attack and the added weight on its back. But Ash knew exactly how he could deal a blow to his opponents without exhausting his Pokemon further.

'Staraptor, bring Weedle closer so it can use its Poison Sting!'

Staraptor obeyed, reducing its altitude so the half Poison type was within striking range.

'Focus on Torterra, Weedle!' Ash shouted, knowing the half Ground Type had experienced more damage over the course of the match.

Weedle seemed to come to terms with being on Staraptor's back remarkably quickly and didn't hesitate as the bird dropped closer, sending out a stream of glowing white sparks at the imposing Pokemon below, safely out of danger.

Or so it thought.

'Arcanine, Fire Spin!'

'Torterra, Stone Edge!'

The burning cyclone exploded into life, engulfing much of the field. Simultaneously three blue rings surrounded Torterra's body and split to create a burst of shattered rock, the half Ground Type's eyes glowing eerily.

Painful as the thought was, Ash knew it was only a matter of time before Staraptor succumbed to its powerful opponents. Ash just hoped to take at least one of them down with him.

'Staraptor, use Quick Attack to dodge them!'

The Pokemon complied, vanishing and reappearing periodically in the spaces between the two crushing attacks as Weedle shot furiously at Torterra, but Ash could see the growing strain the repeated move was causing. Ash had one shot left, or else he was going to lose both his Pokemon while leaving his two opponents safely on the field.

'Staraptor, use Close Contact on Torterra!'

Summoning the last of its energy, the mighty bird let out a furious screech and powered towards its opponent. Torterra, still recovering from the effort of using Stone Edge, was bowled over by the furious slashes and kicks.

Gary gritted his teeth as he watched Ash's Pokemon subdue the huge turtle-like Pokemon. Anything he asked Arcanine to do would only hasten Torterra's demise.

'Again, Staraptor, if you can!'

The bird obeyed its master to the best of its abilities, crashing into the other Pokemon in another deadly attack. Weedle bravely continued its own assault while clinging to Staraptor's back. Weakened by the Wing Attack and the Poison Sting, the huge half Grass Pokemon crashed into the dust, overcome by the final Close Contact.

Gary took advantage of the situation as Staraptor sunk to the ground beside Torterra's limp body. Ash grabbed his Pokeball to recall, but it was too late. 'Arcanine, use Fire Spin again!'

Seconds later, the worm and the bird were engulfed by the tower of flickering flames. As the blaze died away, a cold weight settled in Ash's stomach as he observed the two lifeless forms in front of him.

'Torterra, return!'

'Staraptor, return!'

'Nice job, Arcanine!'

Ash gazed fondly at the Pokeball in his fingers. 'You were incredible, Staraptor,' he said as he tucked the Pokeball safely back in his belt. He spared a glance for his 'partner' who was gazing at the field with a stupefied expression.

'Recall Weedle,' Ash stated testily.

'Oh. Right,' the girl replied, blinking dimly. 'Er – come back, Weedle.' It took her three tries to get the prone Pokemon back safely into its Pokeball. Ash resisted the urge to huff in exasperation at the sight.

'Weavile, go!'

As he stared at Paul's choice Ash thought quickly, trying to decide on the most sensible next move. Amy didn't have any Water Pokemon worth talking about – he knew from experience with Misty that an Azurill wouldn't have a chance against an Arcanine, despite the Type advantage – and so taking Amy's team into account, he figured she only had one choice. He turned back to his partner, who was currently staring at him with a slightly disconcerting expression.

'Er – try and send your Vulpix out this time, will you?'

Amy turned purple, and seized a Pokeball. When the flash of red dissipated, Ash's shoulders slumped forward with relief. She'd actually made the right choice. The little red-brown fox appeared on the field, its large liquid brown eyes staring around with appealing interest.

Ash turned to Pikachu. 'You're up, buddy!' he said.

'Pika pika!' came the determined reply and with a little salute, Pikachu leapt down from the platform and onto the field below.

'Second round,' Gary called, smirking. 'Still want to continue with your humiliation, Ash?'

'We'll see who ends up humiliated,' Ash shot back. 'Pikachu, Thundershock on Arcanine! Vulpix, Flamethrower on Weavile!'

With a battle cry Pikachu leapt into the air, its cheeks sparking furiously. The electricity flowed around its little body and exploded in a deadly assault.

'Arcanine, use Extreme Speed to get away!'

The bolt of lightening struck the ground uselessly as Arcanine sprang out of the way with a burst of supernatural speed, a roar of satisfaction escaping its throat. Pikachu dropped to the ground, disappointment on its panting face as it waited for _Pikapi's_ next command.

Vulpix hadn't moved. It was simply blinking at the dumbstruck Weavile with a blank expression, not unlike that of its Trainer. Clearly deciding that attacking the other Pokemon would be a waste of time, Vulpix gave a large yawn and settled comfortably on grass for a light nap, seemingly unaware of the battle raging around it.

Ash swore at the sight. This battle was going to be a hundred times more difficult if Amy actually had to participate.

'Do something!' he snapped at his partner. At the same time, Gary was shrieking the same words in Paul's gaping face.

'Oh!' Amy said helplessly. 'Uh…Vulpix, Flamethrower?' she said tentatively.

Vulpix cocked an eye open, eyeing its Trainer disdainfully. After a brief second it rose off the ground majestically, fluffing out its six tails with a flourish and taking a delicate step forward. Even Gary seemed pause momentarily in his chastisement of Paul, interested to see what the little Pokemon would do next.

Vulpix opened its mouth, as if to yawn again, but unleashed a torrent of flames – right in Pikachu's unsuspecting face.

Amy cringed and Ash let out a roar of outrage as his Pokemon was blasted backwards.

'PIKACHU!'

On the other side of the field, Gary collapsed onto the Trainer platform for the second time that day, rocking with helpless laughter. Paul seemed to be struggled to suppress a smile and even Arcanine and Weavile seemed to find the sight amusing, sniggering in their Pokemon way.

Once sure Pikachu was still alive, Ash wheeled around to his partner. 'WHY didn't you tell me that it doesn't even _listen _to you?!' he howled. 'We'll never win if that _thing _attacks _my _Pokemon instead of Weavile and Arcanine!'

Ash was panting heavily, ignoring the wails of laughter coming from the other side of the field. It wasn't often he really lost his temper, but his Pokemon hurting for no reason was always guaranteed to set him off in the worst way.

'I'm sorry!' Amy squeaked, looking terrified at Ash's murderous expression. 'Vulpix _does _listen…sometimes…'

Disgusted, Ash turned back to his Pokmon in concern. Pikachu seemed to have recovered and was now reading Vulpix the riot act, periodically jabbing its paw at their opponents and at their Trainers on the platform and occasionally sparking its cheeks. Vulpix was cowering from Pikachu's thundering voice and Arcanine and Weavile were now rocking with laughter, obviously able to understand every word.

'Pika Pika _Pi _Pikachu _Pika _chu PIKA!!!'

Gary struggled to his feet, gasping with suppressed laughter. 'Priceless, Ashy-boy. Just priceless. I'll be sure to tell everyone I meet today how Champion Ash Ketchum's precious Pikachu got roasted by its own _partner._' At the mere remembrance of the event, Gary dissolved back into wicked cackles.

Down on the field, Pikachu growled, its cheeks sparking dangerously.

'AAAGGGHHH!' Gary screamed girlishly as the unseen bolt of lightening swooped downwards and engulfed him.

'PIKA CHU PIKA!'

For a second all Ash could do was gape, staring incredulously from his seething Pokemon to his singed opponent, but with a whoop of triumph he collapsed into an almost painful fit of laughter.

'You go – Pikachu!' he managed to choke out as the tears ran down his face, rocking back and forth. On the other side of the field, Paul was leaning heavily on the railing for support as he gave in to a very rare fit of mirth, pointing openly at his blackened, smoking partner. Even Amy was giggling, in a rather dim way, as if she didn't fully understand what was going on.

Gary staggered to his feet. 'Not funny, Ketchum!' he yelled as he tried to smooth his charred hair. 'I could have that thing put down for attacking a human!'

Ash ignored the threat on his Pokmon's life – Pikachu himself didn't seem too concerned, it was too busy laughing and dodging lame bursts of fire from Arcanine – and straightened up, still giggling.

'Priceless, Gary-boy,' Ash mocked with a smirk. 'Just priceless. I'll be sure to tell everyone I meet today how Champion Ash Ketchum's prize Pikachu floored the great Gary Oak.' He burst out laughing again, clutching his sides desperately as the gales rocked his body.

Gary let out a furious snarl. 'We'll see about that, Ketchum.'

He whipped around to face his still sniggering partner and eyed him dangerously. Paul's reluctance to battle with all he had was not going to go any further, not after _that_. The strange thing was that Gary had been sure the man would relish the chance to defeat his old rival, even if they were friends now. But then again, Gary had never exactly been an expert on the complexity and depth of human nature. He got straight to the point, shoving his face close to Paul's.

'Listen, freakshow, you better put your back into this battle or you're going to wish you'd never been born. Got it?'

Paul just raised an eyebrow, the remains of amusement draining from is face. 'Unlikely.'

Gary exhaled sharply. 'I know you and Ash-boy are bestest pals and stuff, but just _get over it _and fight like a man, okay? A battle's a battle!'

Paul snorted in disgust and turned away, deigning to reply, and gave his attention to the field.

'Arcanine, Fire Spin that pair of losers!' Gary yelled indignantly.

Ash snapped back to attention, his laughter dying away instantly as he caught sight of Gary's dangerous expression. It suddenly occurred to Ash that they should change the proverb to 'Hell hath no fury like a Gary scorned' – heck, the brunette was worse than Misty when you insulted a Water Pokemon!

'Pikachu, use Agility to get away! Vulpix, use Flash Fire to power up from the flames!'

Pikachu didn't need telling twice, but the little mouse didn't quite escape in time, the flames licking its back mercilessly as it fled out of range. Vulpix, however, closed its eyes, its little body glowing with gold-red light as it absorbed the attack, and Ash took a moment to be thankful for Pikachu's persuasive abilities. As Arcanine's flames died away, leaving the already tired Pokemon panting hard, Gary glared at his partner and Paul exhaled sharply. 'Weavile, use Icy Wind.'

The half Dark Pokemon responded instantly, clearly relishing the chance to attack. Paul could tell it had been confused by the lack of direction it had received so far in the match. But it never hesitated, opening its mouth and releasing a jet of silver white raindrops that blasted towards its two opponents.

'Pikachu, use your Agility again! Vulpix, -'

Ash was too late. The fox was still absorbing the energy from Arcanine's attack and as the golden glow began to fade from around it, the hail of icy darts fell mercilessly. Vulpix let out a cry, twisting away from the attack.

'Vulpix, no!' Amy squeaked, showing for perhaps the first time an actual interest in the battle. Ash felt sorry for her, just glad Vulpix was strong against Ice types – Paul's Pokemon was a powerful opponent.

'Pikachu, Volt Tackle on Weavile!' Ash cried desperately.

Pikachu appeared suddenly, at the end of its use of Agility, and began thundering towards Weavile encased in silvery-yellow cloak of electricity. The half Ice Type never saw the attack coming, and was thrown backwards

Gary sized the opportunity to take down the recovering Vulpix, who had just been released from the relentless Icy Wind. Gary knew Vulpix was strong against Fire attacks so he decided to use another approach.

'Arcanine, Take Down on Vulpix!' he bellowed. Arcanine launched itself towards Vulpix with an awe inspiring leap, crashing down hard on the little fox.

'Pikachu, Thundershock on Arcanine!' Ash shouted. The little mouse whipped around, the last of the Volt Tackle fading away as it tried to summon the energy to attack. Ash felt a sick pang of guilt as he watched his already tired Pokemon sparking its cheeks valiantly. Arcanine, already exhausted from the first match succumbed quickly to Pikachu's well placed attack. The Fire Type crashed to the ground, encased in electric energy, and lay still.

Ash allowed himself a smile, but Paul's attack came too quickly for Ash to try and combat it. The purple-black explosion of Weavile's Dark Pulse attack was too strong to avoid.

'Vulpix, Flamethrower on Weavile! Pikachu, _move!_'

At that, Pikachu whipped around and Vulpix unleashed a torrent of white hot flames, but it was too late. The attack overwhelmed Pikachu and Ash's faithful buddy tumbled backwards.

Ash didn't care if he got singed by Vulpix's misplaced flames, or hit with another Dark Pulse. He leapt over the railing, stumbling slightly as his feet hit the ground, and snatched Pikachu out of the melee.

'You okay, buddy?' he murmured to his recovering Pokemon as he retreated off the field.

'Pika,' came the faint response.

'You did incredibly,' Ash said fervently. 'You helped Vulpix listen and you took out Arcanine. Thanks, buddy.'

'Pi,' came the tired response, but Pikachu smiled.

A loud noise recalled Ash to the battle. Powering up to the Trainer platform again, he settled Pikachu atop his backpack before turning back to the match, sparing a smile for the worried looking Amy. He groaned when he looked down on the field

Vulpix was out cold, and if the blackened trees were anything to go by, Amy had clearly tried another Fire attack. Ash wondered how Paul had eluded that one, as Weavile was still standing.

Ash turned wearily back to face his partner. 'Send out Treecko, would you Amy?' he asked, attempting a smile. Amy beamed back, recalling Vulpix and once again choosing the correct Pokeball. The little Grass Type appeared on the field with an almost surprised cry, as if it didn't get out of its Pokeball much, and Ash sighed, mentally comparing the bright little Pokemon to his fully evolved Sceptile.

'Charizard, go!' Ash cried, throwing his Pokeball into the arena. The Fire Type appeared with a lofty roar, eliciting a nervous squeak from Amy (Ash was disgusted until he remembered just how scared he used to be of Charizard himself).

'I'm counting on you, Charizard,' Ash said in a low voice. The Pokemon turned to look at its beloved Trainer, and nodded definitely. Ash couldn't help but smile at the Pokemon's confidence, but he knew for sure that they would need more than that to win the match.

On the other side of the field, Gary smirked knowingly. Ash could be so predictable.

'Pokeball, go!' he cried.

Ash gritted his teeth as the Pokemon took shape in front of him. If he didn't know any better he would be convinced that Gary was a psychic – his rival could almost read his mind. He'd prepared for Ash's third choice of Pokemon perfectly.

Reluctantly, Ash turned to his partner. He wanted to give her a chance – after all, just because he was the superior Trainer didn't give him the right to dictate their offense. And he had the vague idea that if the faculty found out he'd taken over the match, he would end up on the receiving end of a stern talking-to about team work.

'Concentrate on Gary's Pokemon, and I'll try and get rid of Weavile. Use Grass attacks, but try not to get too close -'

'Blastoise, Hydro Pump on Charizard!'

'Charizard, dodge it and use Flamethrower on Weavile!'

'Weavile, use Icy Wind on Treecko!'

'Treecko, use – use Bullet Seed! On Blastoise! Er – now!'

Several things happened at once, puffs of smoke and reverberations of attacks echoing loudly through the field and the surrounding trees. With a flap of its vast, scaly wings, Charizard deftly avoided the well aimed blast of water and soared above the field, shooting a torrent of flames at an unsuspecting Weavile, who was too busy with its own Icy Wind to dodge the attack. Stumbling backwards under the force of the flames, the stunned Pokemon left a slightly shaky Treecko free to follow its Trainer's commands. The Grass type, recovering with surprising speed, drew itself up and fired a stream of glowing yellow seeds at Blastoise's more vulnerable belly. The Water type winced from the sudden bombardment, but the offense was not powerful enough to cause serious damage to Gary's strongest Pokemon. Weavile, however, didn't look too good – the half Ice Type was tiring rapidly and its particular weakness to Fire Attacks was not helping its situation.

Ash seized his advantage, as Charizard was the only Pokemon on the field who hadn't suffered the effects of an attack in the first wave of offensive. His Fire Type was shooting its own old rival predatory glances, and Ash knew this might be the only moment in the match where Blastoise faltered under Amy's attacks.

'Charizard, use Dragon Breath!' he hollered, knowing it was safer to choose a non Fire attack that kept his precious Pokemon as far away as possible from Blastoise's water guns. With another primal roar Charizard unleashed a burst of greenish light, the beam of energy soaring towards Blastoise and crashing down on the large turtle with a resounding crack. Ash was surprised and impressed by how much damage the attack caused the other Pokemon – he tended to use Charizard's Fire attacks and it was clear how much the already formidable Pokemon had improved of late.

Weavile, however, had taken the opportunity to perform Night Slash on Treecko, under Paul's command, and it was clear Amy had not been able to sufficiently repel or avoid the glowing attack. I need to defeat Weavile, Ash thought desperately, or Treecko is a goner. It's so weak to Ice…

'Charizard, Fire Spin on Weavile!'

Ash knew it was a risky move, asking Charizard to land, but this was the best way to ensure Weavile's instant defeat. Obediently the Fire Type swooped back to earth, casually releasing the pulsing swirl of flames at the same time. The whirlwind was so powerful it singed Blastoise around the edges, but Weavile was immediately overwhelmed, sinking down to earth in a crumpled heap.

'Weavile!' Paul burst out in concern, hurriedly recalling the out cold Pokemon. 'You did well,' he murmured to the Pokeball as he slipped it back onto his belt. Gary was watching him like a hawk.

'Choose well, Purple,' Paul's 'partner' snarled. 'Or I'll grind you to pieces and feed you to my Houndoom.'

Paul raised his eyes to the heavens at the ridiculous threat, and reached for his third and last Pokeball. On the other side of the field, Ash closed his eyes and groaned. He didn't even need to look – he knew what was coming.

'Magmortar, go!' Paul shouted.

'Amy, does Treecko know Energy Ball?' Ash hissed, naming Treecko's most powerful attack. Amy stared blankly back at him.

'Uhh…no.' Ash wanted to roll his eyes – of course it didn't. 'Use another Grass attack on Blastoise, _quick_,' he whispered.

Amy nodded, clearly intent on showing him she knew what made a good Pokemon Trainer. 'Treecko, Mega Drain on Blastoise,' she called in a strong voice, looking vaguely pleased with herself. Ash was faintly impressed that she'd come up with the attack so quickly by herself.

But Treecko's burst of leeching green light never got near its opponent. The Grass Pokemon was engulfed in a fiery pool where it stood, the acidic green light fading before it came even vaguely close to touching Blastoise, prompting Charizard to leap back into the air, to safety. Treecko staggered and fell, slumping headfirst onto the charred grass.

Ash looked over at his good friend, carefully reading Paul's rather guilty expression, and spared a glace for Gary's triumphant grin. He turned his attention to Amy, who looked on the verge of bursting into passionate sobs. Without having to be told, she recalled her faint Pokemon back into its Pokeball. Ash put his hand on her shoulder.

'You did very well,' he said carefully, hastily withdrawing his comforting gesture as she turned to him with a thrilled smile. Clearing his throat awkwardly, Ash turned back to the battle.

Charizard was still well out of reach, though the two Pokemon down on the field were eyeing the languid Fire Type irritably. Ash took a deep, calming breath, trying to steady his churning stomach. It was two against one, but Gary still had one more Pokemon if Blastoise went down. He would be hard pressed to get rid of one of his opponents, never mind win the match.

Ash balled his fists, determined to give it his best shot. Charizard was his most powerful Pokemon, and it had defeated both Magmortar and Blastoise before. Just not at the same time.

'Charizard, use Dragon Rage!' Ash commanded, falling back on the strategy of non-fire moves, hoping to deliver damage to both Pokemon. Charizard's eyes glowed eerily white, and as the flame of its tail swelled the Pokemon conjured a massive ball of energy between its teeth and hurled it towards the ground. It worked – the opponents, both too slow-moving to try and avoid the attack, were encased in the swirl of power. Blastoise countered with its Hydro Cannon but the Water attack was not sufficient to diffuse the mixture of fire and white energy.

'Charizard, Steel Wing on Blastoise!' Ash called, intent on taking down the more tired of his opponents as well as pressing his own momentary advantage. But before Charizard could get into position to attack, Blastoise recovered and Gary went on the offensive. 'Blastoise, try a Rapid spin!'

The Water Type snapped its limbs and head into its shell and powered off the ground, spinning so fast it became a blur, heading straight towards the hovering Charizard. Charizard unleashed a swirl of flames but they did nothing to harm Blastoise's hard shell.

'Charizard, dodge it!' Ash yelled desperately. The Fire Type was already performing evasive maneuvers but as it swept to the side to avoid a collision, it took one of its eyes off Magmortar for the briefest second. It was all Paul needed, and a second later Charizard was assaulted with Rock Throw, the purple balls from the Fire Type's cannon morphing into rocks as they were hurled towards Charizard.

The attack was merciless, and Charizard fought to regain its balance as it attempted to soar out of reach. But just as it seemed to recover, Blastoise came swirling around in another arc and collided straight with the Fire Type. Ash cried out desperately as his Pokemon tumbled back to earth.

Gary didn't even give Charizard a chance to stand again before he lauched his next assault. Ash saw what his opponent was going to do and tried to warn his Pokemon, who was right in the cross hairs of the attack.

'Charizard, watch out!'

'Blastoise, Hydro Cannon!'

Charizard raised its head and tried to scramble to safety, but Blastoise's most powerful Water attack hit it straight in the face. Charizard tumbled backwards, its tail smoking potently as the water doused it all over.

Ash hung over the Trainer platform, calling in concern to his Pokemon, who responded with a tired huff as it attempted to rise. Ash could dimly hear Paul yelling at Gary, something about unsportsmanlike conduct, but clearly Gary was ignoring him.

'Blastoise, Skull Bash!'

Ash felt the old fury bubble through him as he watched his drained Pokemon forced backwards by the physical attack. Gary could be so cruel sometimes. Ash knew it was hopeless, but he wasn't going to give in. He knew he couldn't win the match, but he was going to take down Gary's Pokemon if it was the last thing he did. And judging from the furious look on Charizard's face, his Pokemon agreed. Its Rage mode was beginning to take over, Ash noticed savagely, and he knew things were about to go very ill for Blastoise as Charizard's flame flared significantly.

Across the field, Ash shot Paul a desperate look. The purple haired teen was visibly fuming, his arms crossed in a physical representation of his refusal to battle, at least while Gary was being so crass. He noticed Ash's expression and seemed to understand, offering his friend a fraction of a nod. It was all Ash needed.

'Charizard, try another Dragon Breath!' Ash called. Charizard didn't need to be told to direct the attack at Blastoise – indeed, the half Fire Type ignored its other opponent, who was standing close by, and chose to direct the green flames directly at the Water Type. Blastoise clearly hadn't expected Charizard to recover so quickly and staggered backwards. Ash couldn't help but cheer, Amy joining in as she took a break from cooing over a reluctant Pikachu.

'Finish it with your Seismic Toss!' Ash hollered, but Charizard was already moving as it summoned its last strength in preparation of its signature move. Growling furiously it dragged the heavy Turtle high into the air, drawing gasps of admiration from Trainers and Coordinators all over the room. Spinning in endless cannon rolls, Charizard eventually broke free of the spins and powered towards the ground. Blastoise crashed into the field with a resounding crash, out cold.

'Awesome, Charizard!' Ash cheered.

At the sight of his collapsed Pokemon, Gary seized Paul's shoulder in a fit of fury and burst into a steady stream of curses. Paul ignored him utterly, focusing on Ash's heavily panting Pokemon. He sighed, shooting Ash an apologetic glance for what he was about to do. The raven haired Trainer replied with an understanding nod.

'Magmortar – er, Flamethrower. Thing,' Paul stumbled reluctantly.

'Charizard, return fire,' Ash called strongly, but he winced as he said the words. He desperately wished to recall Charizard and forfeit the match to prevent the inevitable prolonging of his Pokemon's pain, but he knew his Pokemon too well for that. Proud, powerful Charizard would never consent to surrender early, not when it was still on its feet – albeit shakily. Ash counted his blessings, knowing he was lucky that Paul was the one delivering the final blow and not Gary.

Paul's Magmortar seemed confused by the entire situation, but evidently got the unspoken message from its Trainer. It released a comparatively gentle stream of flames and Charizard valiantly returned them. But the strain of continuing the attack was the final straw for the massive half Flying Type, and it eventually sank to the ground in a dead faint. Charizard always went down fighting.

For a moment, there was a desolate, oddly muffled silence in the field. The sounds of the other battles and Trainer's cries could still be heard, but they seemed very far away.

Then Gary let out a wild, triumphant cackle, and nausea rose suddenly in Ash's stomach.

He'd always known this moment was coming. After all, no one could stay undefeated forever. All Trainers, no matter how skilled or experienced, had off days, or back luck, or simply misjudged something once in a while. It was inevitable.

But to lose to _Gary Oak, _like _this, _was not how he'd envisioned breaking his two month winning streak. He'd put everything into the battle but it just hadn't been enough. It was heartbreaking. And though Ash wasn't one to make excuses for his losses, no one could say it had been anything like a fair fight. He also knew that little fact wouldn't stop Gary from proclaiming temporary mastery over him until the next time they battled. And without the regular Intraschool League to look forward to, Ash knew it could be anything up to a month and a half until he faced Gary again.

Ash ignored Gary and recalled his exhausted Pokemon quickly, knowing that was the fastest way for Charizard to recover. Before he snapped it into his belt, he paused. 'You've fought some incredible matches for me, Charizard, but I think today topped them all. Thanks, buddy. Have a good rest, you deserve it.'

Ignoring the stream of catcalls coming from the other side of the field as well as the leaden mix of rage and disappointment flaring in his stomach, Ash scooped the recovering Pikachu into his arms and floundered down the ladder onto the field. He was determined to keep his composure. He would not give Gary any more satisfaction. Amy followed meekly, gazing at him with more respect than adoration, and at the bottom of the platform, Ash abruptly turned and spoke.

'I'm sorry I couldn't win it.'

Amy stuttered, unsure of how to reply. 'It's okay. You didn't have much chance, with me as a partner.'

Ash opened his mouth to reply, but he'd never been much of a liar. Amy just smiled slightly, looking like a sensible person for the first time that day.

'You did great, Ash. And thanks for helping me with Vulpix. Maybe it'll listen now.'

Ash nodded gratefully, and stuck his hand out so she could shake it. Then they turned and made their way out onto the field, Amy's face still flushed in embarrassment, but Ash couldn't trust himself to speak.

Gary and Paul were standing in the middle of the slightly smoking, blackened field, and Ash wondered detachedly how the school were going to get it cleaned up for the next day. He was avoiding looking at Gary – the man could hardly contain his glee, and from the satisfied expression on his face he wasn't going to let Ash forget this one. Ever. Paul was standing a few feet away looking frankly disgusted by the openly gloating look on Gary's face, his arms crossed sullenly.

'Well, Ashy-boy,' Gary drawled, barely able to keep himself from cackling in satisfaction as Ash drew near. 'I think you've officially sealed your status as a loser. Champion Ash, loosing to _Gary Oak_ of all people!' He sighed theatrically. 'Who would believe it?'

Ash blinked, his outward appearance giving no sign of his inward turmoil, and he had to clamp his mouth shut to refrain from defending himself.

'Congratulations, Gary,' he said in a cold, formal voice, staring straight over his taller rival's head instead of looking into those cold blue eyes. He turned to Paul, a fraction of a smile appearing on his face. 'Great job, Paul.'

His friend responded with a ghost of a nod, his eyes saying everything. Ash turned and gave Amy a last smile, Paul honoring her with a curt jerk of his head, and the two friends made to exit the field together.

'Wait!' Gary floundered, incensed as he made to chase them. 'You can't leave yet!'

Ash spun on his field to face his defeater, his temper threatening to overwhelm him. 'Why?' he said rudely through clenched teeth.

Gary slid to a stop, smirking as he crossed his arms. 'Cause I'm not done with you!'

Ash snapped. 'What else do you want, Gary?' he shouted, fury bubbling through his veins as he lost control of his composure. 'You beat me. You're the winner. You're the best,' he spat. 'Are you happy now?'

Gary cocked an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing in satisfaction as he allowed Ash's words to echo into the silence. 'Yes,' he eventually purred gloatingly. 'Now I'm happy.'

Ash let out a furious snarl and stalked away, pushing through the low bushes and trees. He just wanted to get away before he ended up socking Gary in the face and having his Champion title revoked for being a bad loser.

'Wait up, Ash.'

Ash scowled but allowed the older teen to fall into step beside him, avoiding his eye. Ash _was _grateful to his friend for trying to even the playing field but he really wasn't in the mood to speak to anyone, let alone on of his defeaters – albeit a reluctant one. But Ash had to admit – Paul might not say an awful lot but at times like these his stoic silences were somewhat comforting.

Ash was already regretting letting his temper get the best of him. He'd handed his rival another chance to gloat, and given Gary the satisfaction of knowing the loss wrangled him. Ash hated to lose at the best of times, but losing to Gary was something that he hadn't had to deal with in a long time. He'd forgotten how much it sucked.

How could I lose? Ash thought despondently. If only I'd gotten a decent partner…if only Gary had gotten Amy and I'd gotten Paul…if only I could throttle that stupid, stuck up prick…

A voice interrupted his thoughts. 'Remember, you're still the Champion. And you got the girl.'

Ash stopped suddenly, turning to face his quiet friend in amazement. Another good thing about Paul – when he did say something, it always hit the mark.

Ash felt the weight in his chest lessen ever so slightly as he glanced over to the field where Misty was battling. She looked…well, _radiant, _just like she always did when she was battling. Ash remembered how he'd got rid of Gary, of all people, for her, and how happy she'd looked, and how she'd hugged him…

And for once in his life, he didn't try to deny that he had the girl, because he was proud to have her. And that thought alone was enough to lessen the hurt of any loss.

'Yeah,' Ash smiled quietly. I guess I do.

Paul grinned properly at that. 'Come on, let's go to lunch. Drew can catch up later.'

*****

Misty was hardly listening to Ritchie's words of congratulations. After the battle May had wandered off to watch the end of Drew's battle – the brunette had insisted she was supporting him for Dawn's sake, but Misty hadn't fallen for that for a second – and Misty had stayed behind to catch up a little with Ash's old Indigo League rival. Naturally she'd seen Ritchie a lot since her arrival at Pokemon High and though she'd spoken to him several times she'd never had the chance to share a proper conversation with him. He'd improved a lot since she'd last seen him back in the Whirl Islands, but soon into the match it became clear to her that he hadn't progressed with quite as much speed as his old raven haired challenger. He still, however, gave his Pokemon ridiculous nicknames, and Misty had to admit – he wasn't bad looking. Or maybe it was just his rather eerie similarity to Ash that she noticed.

But Misty was now regretting she'd ever stopped to talk to him for so long, as she was barely able to force herself to listen. Her mind was still back on the battle, her stomach clenched in worry.

Ritchie seemed to sense that she wasn't quite up to a conversation and kindly bid her goodbye, offering a last word of admiration for her performance. Misty smiled back, thanking him for his kind words that she knew she didn't deserve.

As Ritchie left the battle field with his partner, Misty decided to go and find May instead of stewing over the failures of the battle. She'd seen Ash leave earlier with Paul, and she was keen to catch up with him and question him about his own clash. Sloping over to the Trainer platform, she retrieved her backpack and was about to go in search of her friends when a cool voice interrupted her.

'Pathetic, Waterflower.'

Misty froze, wheeling around with the instant intention of destroying whoever it was who had the guts to call her pathetic. She started when she realized who it was, momentarily forgetting her annoyance.

'Daisy?' she questioned in astonishment. She'd hardly spared a thought on Gary's arrogant sister since their confrontation on Misty's first day, though she had been interested to find out if Drew and Dawn could beat her. It was only now occurring to her how strange it was that after such a hostile first encounter, this girl should have left her alone for so long.

'Oh, I'm honored – the Cerulean City Gym Leader remembers my name!' Daisy mocked dramatically. 'Of course, if you actually deserved that title, I wouldn't be calling you pathetic, would I?'

Misty flinched, staring backwards at the unexpected sharpness. Misty was one tough cookie but there was something about Daisy that made her nervous. But before she could get her own verbal offensive in order, the brunette continued.

'You might have won this little battle but you're gonna crash and burn in the Double Team Tournament.'

Misty snorted, ignoring the doubt clawing at her insides. Was that really the best Daisy could come up with? 'That's what you think,' she shrugged easily, turning away.

'That's what I know, _Mist.' _Misty froze at the use of that name, turning back to the silently gloating girl. There was something about her quietly malevolent tone that made Misty shiver.

'You were lucky to win this one, and you know it. You're Pokemon are so _exceptionally_ poorly trained that they can't handle a challenge, or anything out of the ordinary. I was watching your battle. I saw Gyarados refuse to work with May's Venosaur. I saw Starmie shy away from Glaceon – only that laughable excuse for a Psyduck consented to work with Blaziken, but that's only because it's too thick to tell the difference between types. It could be your clone,' May smirked, arching an eyebrow. 'What are you going to do now that you're strongest Pokemon can't work with Types other than Water? How do ever propose to survive in a double battle if your Pokemon are more nervous of their partner than of the opposition? If that's the curse of being a Gym Leader, then I'm glad I'll never be settling for that lame title.'

Misty gulped. She'd been hoping no one outside of the battle had noticed her problems with her Pokemon. It was something that perhaps with hindsight, she should have expected. After several years of nothing but Gym battles on a Water field, and no company except for other Water Types, it was no wonder that her Pokemon were nervous. May hadn't said a word about it during the battle, subtly hatching a plan that allowed Misty's Pokemon to work independently without diminishing Misty's importance on their small team. And Misty had pulled her weight all right, pushing her Pokemon harder than usual to try and hide their skittishness.

Misty opened her mouth to furiously defend her Pokemon but the weight of doubt was too overwhelming. She knew she should be defending herself, or simply beating this girl to a pulp, but her usual indomitable self confidence was rattled.

'And then of course there's Ash…' Daisy said lightly, seeing Misty's rare weakness and pressing her advantage.

Misty's hackles rose instantly. 'What about him?' she snapped a little too quickly, balling her fists. How come Daisy just had to drag Ash into this?

'Oohhh, touched a nerve, didn't I?' the brunette purred dangerously.

Misty knew she had to get away before this got any more dangerous but her feet were rooted to the ground. Daisy was like a snake stalking its next victim, her eyes hypnotic and malicious.

'You don't know anything,' Misty bluffed, too distressed to come up with a better comeback.

'Oh but I _do, _Misty,' Daisy crooned sweetly. 'I know _all _about you.' Misty's face must have shown some of her confusion, because the brunette had the nerve to laugh softly in her face. 'Everyone knows, Misty. You didn't think you were _that _good, did you? Everyone _except _Ashy-boy. You're lucky he's a bit…slow on the uptake. And we both know why you work so hard to keep it a secret from him.' Daisy smiled poisonously. 'Because he'd run away screaming if he knew.'

Misty flushed, her stomach lurching sickeningly but she ignored Daisy's victorious smirk. 'Then how come he asked me to the dance?' she shot back, crossing her arms. Let Daisy get around _that._

Daisy cocked an eyebrow. 'Asking you as a friend doesn't mean anything, and you know it.'

Misty swallowed a lump in her throat, slumping inwardly. She had no reason to be afraid of this girl, no reason to believe her vicious lies, no reason to believe anything she said. But before she could reply, Daisy continued relentlessly.

'Don't be surprised when Ash-boy leaves you in the dust, Missy. You'll never mean anything to him, and you know it. Just a best friend. A has-been. Nothing more. And I promise you – by the time the Double Team League comes around you'll be history, and I'll be the one…congratulating Ash when he wins.'

Misty pushed away that entirely disgusting image, hard. She drew herself up to her full height, glaring with flashing eyes into the cold blue depths in front of her. Daisy had crossed the line so far it was now nothing but a speck in the distance. Nobody got the best of Misty Waterflower. Not when Ash was concerned.

'Is that a challenge Oak?' Misty said in a low voice. Daisy raised an eyebrow 'Well, I think I might have the advantage, being his best friend and having him as a partner for the dance.' She stepped a little closer to the taller girl, her voice dropping dangerously. 'Stay away from Ash, Daisy, and you can keep your creeper of a brother away as well. You're not going to hurt Ash if I have anything to do with it. And I look forward to _destroying _you in a battle someday, when you get the guts to challenge me.' Misty shook her head, smiling in malevolent mock disbelief. 'You have no idea who you're messing with, Daisy, so you'd better watch your back.'

And with a last disdainful look at the gaping girl, Misty turned on her heel and stalked away.

May and Dawn were watching her as she came closer, Drew hovering close by with a fake look of disinterest on his face. Dawn's bright victory smile faded as she read Misty's murderous expression.

'Er – what was that all about?' May questioned timidly, somewhat unnerved as Misty cracked her knuckles threateningly.

'Nothing,' Misty hissed through clenched teeth, resisting the urge to death glare Daisy as she walked away. 'Let's go,' the redhead said abruptly, turning on her heel and making a beeline for the door, leaving her two friends trailing in her wake, and a narrow eyed Drew watching her go.

*****

Wow, finished! Love this chapter!

Please, take a moment to appreciate how much effort and research went into this.

And then review! Seriously, there will be at least one more major double battle so I need your feedback, as they are far more complex to write than normal battles. The battle style is a combination of anime and game moves with a touch of realism, so I hope it comes across as plausible. And I love Charizard, in case you hadn't noticed. And don't worry, the problems with Misty's Pokemon are just an AAML plot device, as you will see in the next chapter. Thank you, and please tell me what you think!

Bulbapedia, you rock.

Song Inspiration: Remember The Name by Fort Minor. Again, not for kids, but a true Ash song.

**Review Replies**:

To the lovely people who reviewed the last chapter, thank you SO much. You make my day with your encouragement – special thanks to new reviewers and those who have stuck with me since the beginning, you know who you are. I couldn't get through this story without you all. I'm sorry I don't have time to write you all a personal message but I promise you, you all rock my world :)

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	11. Right Here, Right Now

Feel free to hate. I am so sorry this took so long, but I have something of an excuse. This chapter was originally twice as long as it appears here, and it was the writing of the latter part that slowed everything down as it was so impossibly complex. But it

got so long that I had to cut it in half – however, that does mean the next chapter will be up really soon.

I'm dedicating this chapter to my good friend **Texas Longhorn**, whom I hate a lot - but without him, this chapter wouldn't exist. He boosted my confidence with a very timely and flattering PM – seriously TL, I couldn't have done it without you.

Now, I am very proud to present, Chapter 11 – please enjoy :D

Chapter Eleven: Right Here, Right Now

Drew banged his tray down on the lunch table and slumped into his seat, glancing expectantly at his friend.

'Hey Ash, how'd your battle go?'

Ash didn't respond, continuing to stare morosely off into the distance with an expression that held all the cheer of a storm cloud. Drew raised an eyebrow, waving a hand in front of glassy eyed Trainer, but Ash didn't flinch. 'Helloooo, anyone in there? Earth to Ash!' Drew furrowed his brows and turned to Paul. 'That's not normal, is it?'

The older boy just shrugged indifferently. 'He hasn't moved in the last ten minutes!'

Drew snorted. 'Ash, not moving? There's a change. But no matter, I'll use my world famous tact to wake him up from…wait, is he _drooling?!_'

A sharp blow was delivered to the side of the unsuspecting boy's head. 'SNAP OUT OF IT, KETCHUM!!!'

Said raven haired teenager _did _snap out of 'it' – so suddenly, in fact, he almost toppled out of his chair. Only quick thinking by Paul prevented Ash from becoming a tangled heap on the floor.

Dazed, Ash blinked dimly at the new arrival as he righted himself. 'Drew?' he said blankly, looking puzzled. 'When did you get here?'

Drew smacked his own forehead, sighing in exasperation. 'Ash, your spaceship has just arrived. Please get in.'

Ash didn't even crack a smile, and resisting the urge to turn around to see if the Millennium Falcon had miraculously appeared in the Pokemon High forecourt to whisk him away forever, he contented himself with scowling deeply at Drew.

'Hello,' he muttered grumpily to his friend, fixing the untouched sandwich on his plate with a murderous glare. Drew raised his eyebrows again, finally sensing the notable absence of Ash's usual infectious cheer. He sent Paul a questioning glance, but to his dismay the older teen just shrugged helplessly.

'Er…so how'd you're battle go?' Drew asked tentatively - but his concern didn't stop him from attacking a hamburger with a disgusting amount of zeal. Paul eyed him with disdain.

Ash clenched his jaw, his hands tightening on the lip of the table as he continued to glare down at his food. He was in no mood for any sort of conversation, his temper already stretched past breaking point. 'Not good,' he ground out.

Drew's hamburger slipped from his grip and met his plate with a muffled thump, his jaw slacking as he stared at his friend in amazement. Ash ignored him, not attempting to elaborate - until Paul cleared his throat and spoke in the clipped, icy tone he always used when he disapproved of something, clearly intending to step in and tell the story. It took Ash all of two seconds to decide he was having none of that. Paul wasn't one to offer condolences on a platter but Ash knew his friend would subtly defend him – then Drew would sympathize and Ash would have to kill himself. Okay, well that was a little dramatic – but if there was one thing Ash didn't need, it was pity.

Much like a certain fiery haired Water Type Trainer we all know and love.

'I lost to Gary,' he snapped out. 'And – and Paul,' he sighed, jerking his head towards the purple haired Trainer beside him.

Ash hadn't thought it was possible for Drew to look more shell shocked, but that impression was quickly destroyed as Drew's eyes bugged helplessly at the increasingly stunning news.

'But – but – Paul, you got _Gary _as a partner?! But you're ranked _first _and _third! How _is that fair?'

'You got Dawn,' Paul pointed out quietly while Ash picked at his sandwich in deep concentration, trying to drown out their conversation by humming in his head. 'And she's ranked pretty highly herself.'

'Fifth, and don't pretend you didn't know that,' Drew said distractedly. 'And, er, who did you have, Ash?'

Ash let out a small, painfully strangled noise. 'Amy Reeves,' he muttered. Drew blinked uncomprehendingly. 'Stalker Amy,' he clarified despondently.

'And what - ' Drew started to ask, but Ash cut him off. As much as he _really _wasn't looking forward to reliving the events of the previous hour, it was better than having a Question and Answer session with Drew, who was nosier than the Spanish Inquisition. And anyway, he owed it to his friend to give him a first hand account.

So Ash averted his eyes to the ceiling and in a flat, toneless voice, recited the events of the previous hour in as few words as possible. Neither Paul nor Drew interrupted, letting his talk unhindered until the end of the story. There was a brief silence when he finished before Drew began savaging his hamburger again.

'That jerk off,' he fumed, flinging his slice of tomato down with a vengeance. 'I hate him. He's such a sore loser that he's bound to be an _unbearable _winner, but if he even _tries _to put one over you…' Drew trailed off threatening, attempting to crack his knuckles in a menacing fashion. Unfortunately he forgot about the sorry looking hamburger still wedged in his fist, and the now soggy bun slipped spectacularly out of his fingers and landed ceremoniously on the floor.

Ash couldn't help it. Drew looked so crestfallen that he just had to laugh, the weight on his shoulders lessening slightly at his friend's well meaning but frankly _ridiculous _words.

Paul leaned forward, his expression understanding.

'Look, Ash. You were bound to break your winning streak eventually. And you can be glad it was just a training match – take that from someone who had to eat their words in front of the whole school.' A rueful smile ghosted over his face. 'You're still the Champion, which makes you officially better than Gary, and the next time you face him in a fair match you'll kick his ass, just like you always do. His triumph is flawed and it will be short lived, whichever way you look at it.'

Ash nodded, a grateful smile spreading tiredly over his face. He knew that what Paul said was true, but it didn't lessen the disappointment, and nothing could protect him from the weeks of insults and humiliation that were surely heading his way at the hands of Gary.

Drew had finished resurrecting his food and rejoined the conversation suddenly, displaying his best wicked grin as an idea hit him

'Ash, there's only one thing in the world that's going to make you feel better now,' Drew stated in a sing song voice, exchanging a knowing smirk with Paul.

'Castrating Gary?' Ash muttered, a tiny grin on his face

'Fine, one thing in the world that's not going to land you life in jail,' Drew laughed.

'And what's that?' Ash asked distractedly, poking at his food once more.

'Talking to Misty!' his two friends stated in unison, sporting identical Cheshire Cat grins.

Ash gaped, his head snapping up so fast his neck cricked. 'What?!' he yelped out once he regained his voice.

'Oh come on, Ash,' Drew said, grinning victoriously at Ash's discomposure. 'You _luuuurve _her!'

'No I don't!' Ash spluttered, going beet red. 'You're off your rocker! She's my best friend, and I've never thought about her like that in my life!' His voice rose to a shout to drown out the insistent little voice in his head that protested otherwise. 'Who do you think I am, Brock or something?!'

Drew raised an eyebrow and laughed out loud. 'We thought you loved her like a sister, but since you put it that way…'

Ash glowered but Paul just raised an eyebrow. 'Jeez, chill, Ash – acting like that only proves that we're right, as usual.'

Ash choked on his furious swig of soda and glared at his friends, incensed.

'I've told you, I do _not _see her that way! Never - '

'Think about it Ash,' Paul cut in, sounding exasperated. 'You were over the moon when she turned up at Pokemon High, and even before that you brought her up in conversation at least once a day. You've been walking around with a goofy expression ever since then and you mentioned to me at least five times in her first week how much prettier she'd gotten. You freaked out when you were convinced someone else was going to ask her to the dance, despite it had been about two hours since the announcement, and when Gary amazingly got there first, you lost it completely and resorted to _lying _to get her back. You're never happier than when you're with her, not even when you're battling. You still go on and on about her all the time, and I know you think about her all the time as well cause when you do, your eyes glaze over and you get this freakin' hilariously dreamy expression. Just admit it, dude. You're crazy about her.'

Ash was a little stumped by Paul's uncharacteristically long speech - the boy wasn't one for stringing more words together than he absolutely had to – before springing back on the defense.

'You're both mad!' Ash yelled hysterically. 'Misty's like a sister to me! We've known each other since we were kids! Pikachu, back me up here, buddy!'

The little Pokemon looked up from its Pokechow.

'Pika pika _pi _Pikachu-pi,' it said solemnly.

Ash eyes bugged out their sockets and his mouth moved silently, he had nothing to say. Drew and Paul looked on in satisfaction. But they underestimated their friend's infamous stubbornness.

'You're _all _mad, Ash insisted sulkily, resisting the urge to retort with 'screw you' or something equally magnanimous to his three friends. He refused to say another word about it and remained in a frosty silent for the rest of lunch, but his battle with Gary was forgotten.

When the bell rose he rose from his seat in a dignified manner, pent on making his way to Misty's table so he could walk her to Advanced Training as usual, but the effect was ruined when he tripped over his own feet staring anxiously over at his best friend's table as if there was a chance she had overheard the unfortunate conversation. Ignoring Drew and Paul's amused looks he offered the pair a curt farewell and walked rather stiffly over to Misty's table. Just as he was approaching she threw her head back and laughed, that silky red hair spilling down her back and her eyes alight with mirth.

Ash found himself gulping nervously as he drew closer.

'Hello,' he said curtly by way of greeting.

Misty whipped around in surprise and sobered up immediately when she saw who it was.

'Hi Ash,' she replied with one of her rare soft smiles as she got quickly to her feet, bidding May and Dawn hasty farewells and falling into step beside him. They made their way silently out of the lunchroom and through the mostly deserted halls. It was a couple of minutes before she spoke.

'I'm sorry about Gary, Ash,' she murmured.

Ash, who had been far too busy replaying that odious conversation and watching her out of the corner of his eye to make an attempt to speak, was jolted rather suddenly out of his reverie. Gary who? He thought wildly for a moment. Then, with a rather uncomfortable pang, he realized to what she must be referring. He shrugged, trying not to look too sulky or dejected or pissed.

'Well, y'know,' he muttered.

Misty nodded understandingly, and Ash suddenly realized that she already knew. What he _didn't_ know was that Misty had heard about Ash's battle through Dawn, who had been told by Conway, who'd heard about it from Zoey, who'd overheard Amy boastful recital to her awestruck friends in the girl's room – but he was able to guess as much. Ash didn't know what to think now that the Mafioso-like gossip network at Pokemon High had once again proved its efficiency - he couldn't decide whether to be irritated by the amount of people taking interest in his affairs, annoyed that Misty had already heard so he wouldn't have the chance to relive the story himself and hopefully make himself look better in the telling, or relief that he wouldn't have to go into it.

Misty stayed quiet, eyeing his carefully, and Ash wondered momentarily if she had been laughing at him when he had approached the table. Pushing that thought away he jumped right in with an open invitation to describe her own match.

Misty sensed Ash's none too subtle attempts to change the subject – but she also sensed that Ash really didn't want to be pushed for details right now. Nor did he want sympathy. He'd always been sensitive about losing and though he'd grown out of the childish sulks and temper tantrums that used to accompany his defeat, Misty knew that losing to none other that Gary under such extreme circumstances would be the perfect opportunity for his old habits to resurrect themselves. Thus she chose to give fairly brief and concise account of her own match, glazing over her own difficulties in favor of light praise for May – nothing too gushy, as Misty knew Ash wouldn't want to hear rhapsodies about _anyone _right now. Ash listened attentively, his closed expression loosening as she continued.

When she was finished Ash shot her a little sideways glance, narrowing his eyes. She was holding back. Something wasn't right.

'Misty, are you okay?' he asked abruptly.

Misty's head jerked up and her shoulders stiffened as she snapped her gaze to his. Ash just raised an eyebrow as her lips moved wordlessly.

'Misty?' he asked, his voice amused.

'Ash!'

'Err…what, Mist?' She'd stopped dead in the hall by then, and Ash had continued for several paces before he'd realized she'd dropped behind. He stepped back to her again, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Misty was staring at him in open disbelief, as if seeing him clearly for the very first time in her life. 'You just lost an important battle, to no less than Gary Oak, and you're asking _me _if I'm okay?!' she said incredulously

'Uhh, yeah,' Ash stated easily. When she failed to reply he reddened, fidgeting nervously with one of his gloves. 'Is that illegal or something?' he replied a little snappishly, nettled.

'No, no!' Misty said, hastily backpedaling. 'I'm just surprised, is all,' she murmured, more to herself than to him.

'And why should you be surprised that I'm checking you're alright?' Ash said, more sharply than he'd intended.

Misty flushed rosily but avoided the question. 'How could you tell?' she countered quickly.

Ash noticed her deliberate side step but chose not to comment. Instead he smiled, his own discomfit fading at her embarrassment. He cocked his head to the side. 'We've been friends for almost eight years, Mist. You're a pretty complex girl, not to mention a darn good actress, but I guess…' He shrugged, grinning roguishly. '…I've got practice at reading you.'

If Misty had been red before, she turned purple at his last comment. She cleared her throat sharply and began marching down the hall again, waiting for the now grinning delightedly Ash to fall into step beside her.

'So, are you going to tell me what's wrong or what?'

Misty sighed unwillingly. She had been keen to keep the information to herself, but trust Ash to see through her as always.

'I knew you must be upset about your own match, Ash, so I tried to keep it to myself…just so you know, for you to notice I was upset when you've clearly had quite the day yourself…well, it means a lot.' She rushed though the little speech, as if hurrying would dispel any negative reception she was expecting, reddening continually all the while. But she needn't have worried.

'You're my best friend, Misty,' Ash said sincerely, struggling to block Paul's words as he smiled at her. 'It's my job to notice these kinds of things. Now, quit stalling and spill.'

Misty rewarded him with a light shove, but the smile faded as she spoke again.

'So I won my battle, right? Ritchie was tough, but May was a great partner. She's done a great job with her Pokemon.' Misty sighed, chewing her lip worriedly. 'No, the problem is _my _Pokemon.'

Ash snorted in disbelief. 'Mist, are you kidding me?! Your Pokemon are fantastic! Well, perhaps Psyduck isn't the brightest crayon in the box, but you've got Starmie and Politoed and Corsola and – heck, you're the only person in the school with a Gyarados! And yours is the scariest one I've ever met! Come on Misty, you're one of the toughest of the Kanto Gym Leaders! _How _can your Pokemon be a problem?'

Misty sighed, deciding a more detailed account was in order. Ash listened carefully as she told him of her battle – of how her Pokemon had struggled to work with other Types and how she'd been agonizing over a potential cure to the problem. As usual she didn't spare herself a scrap of pity, frankly stating that it was her own shortcoming as a Trainer that had brought the hitch about and insisting it was something that as a Gym Leader, she should have predicted. She left out her conversation with Daisy entirely. She'd switched to praising May's abilities and discretion when Ash cut her off.

'Misty, I can see how you would think this as a setback but I don't think its quite as serious as you imagine it to be.'

'Ash, my Pokemon won't work with other Pokemon!' Misty said, exasperated. 'How can that _not _be a problem, going into a Team Tournament?'

Ash shook his head impatiently. 'So your Pokemon won't work with other Types because they're afraid, right? Well, after years at a Water Gym with no company but other Water Pokemon, I guess it was to be expected, though it certainly never occurred to me before so I have no idea why it would hit _you _in the middle of the night. But I think your problem should be fairly easy to fix if you put my awesomely genius idea into practice.'

Misty eyed him warily – after years of traveling together she's grown somewhat suspicious of Ash's frequent 'awesomely genius ideas.'

Ash didn't wait for her answer. 'Just let your Pokemon hang out with a bunch of other Types!' he said triumphantly. 'They'll all see soon enough that there's nothing to be scared of, and bang goes your problem!'

Nor for the first time, Misty stared at him in amazement. Ash might be completely street-stupid but when it came to Pokemon he really knew what he was talking about.

'Ash, that's a great idea!' she blurted out excitedly.

Ash's gleeful expression soured immediately and he pouted. 'No need to sound so surprised,' he muttered grumpily.

Misty shrugged, smirking. 'I'm a practiced cynic when it comes to your awesomely genius ideas – years of bad experiences will do that to ya,' she said cheerfully, restored to her usual good humor now that her problems might just be solved.

Ash raised his eyebrow, unimpressed. 'So, where are you going to _get _a bunch of other Type Pokemon, Misty?' he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

'Well, I thought since you suggested it, you were…' She trailed off uncertainly when she saw his face.

Ash sighed theatrically, trying to keep himself from laughing at Misty's rare helpless expression. 'I was _going _to ask you to come over on Saturday so we could let your Pokemon hang out with mine, but since you're _so _appreciative of my _genius _I guess I'll leave you to find someone else!'

Misty's wanted to laugh in relief and her heart pumped ridiculously at the idea of spending more time alone with him. But she tried not to show it, joining in with the humor in spirit by adopting the puppy eyes she'd become surprisingly adept at during her summer as a Sensational Sister. Misty wasn't one to cash in on her, well, _stunning _good looks, but she'd found batting her eyelashes often scored her a free post-show hotdog at the venues she'd performed at – as long as a guy was working the counter. She felt ridiculous doing it and had often bid hasty retreats in the past when her victims got a little too friendly – but hey, free food was free food.

'Please, Ash?' she breathed with a look that would melt a heart of ice. 'I'm sorry I insulted you. I really need your help. Please?'

Ash blinked rapidly as he swallowed the sudden lump in his throat and resisted the urges to both back away in terror and get much, much closer to those lips twisted into a perfect little pout. Why wasn't she smacking him over the head and telling him he was going to help her whether he liked it or not?

He tried to speak but all he could manage was a sort of strangled cough. He flushed brilliantly and avoided her eye as he frantically tried to clear the fog that had overtaken his brain. 'Er – of course I'll help you,' he stuttered uselessly.

Misty was about to shoot back some spirited reply but caught a glimpse of the look on his face as he tugged his cap down lower, and her breathe caught in her chest and she said nothing, the blood pounding in her head as she tried not to think too much. An awkward silence settled between them as they made their way down the halls, which were now filling up with people, but it was a different silence to the sulky one that usually followed their heated arguments, and they both knew it.

Ash fell asleep that night listening to music in an attempt to block out the sound of his own thoughts.

The next couple of days were a great trial to Ash. Not only did he have the lingering awkwardness with Misty to worry about, but as expected, Gary wouldn't leave him alone.

'Hey, _Champion,_' Gary had greeted him the very next day in homeroom. 'Planning on losing today?'

Ash had simply clenched his fists so hard his nails had drawn blood, and mutely shook his head.

But Gary simply wouldn't back down. He would casually position himself outside every one of Ash's classes and walk the halls with him, discussing their battle in a carrying voice and offering outrageous, mock serious, mock sympathetic reasons as to why Ash had lost the battle. By Friday he was claiming that he'd suffered from temporary insanity or that the real Ash had been abducted by aliens. Ash could do nothing but resist the urge to punch his rival's gloating face and contented himself with imagining every possible way he could assassinate his rival and not get arrested for cold blooded murder. He was determined to cling to the last shreds of his dignity, and he wasn't about to lose his temper again and afford Gary any more satisfaction.

Naturally the Champion's loss had caused something of a sensation in the already gossip riddled high school, and Gary's stunts were causing rumors to fly around the school at the speed of light – the latest being that during the match Paul had defected and joined Ash and Amy's team, and that Gary had used three Pokemon to defeat nine. It aggravated Ash beyond reason but he refused to give in, holding his head high when he people fell into hushed whispers and scandalous expressions as he passed.

The worst was the disappointment in their eyes. Gary was not loved at Pokemon High and his defeat of Ash had reinstated much of his natural swagger, which had been suppressed after his first loss in the Intraschool Tournament, and his behavior reverted back to much of what it had been in his first month at Pokemon High. He shamelessly intimidated the younger students, his wealth, ranking and overwhelming personality rendering him terrifying in the eyes of many of them, and boasted incessantly to those he considered worthy to hear his voice.

It wasn't helping Ash's bruised self confidence and it was days later when he found the courage to bring the matter of her Pokemon back up with Misty. To his relief she flushed as she accepted his invitation to come to his house on Saturday. 'I have to be back by about three but I'd love to come in the morning. If I get there early we can still get in some decent training time.'

'You could stay Friday night,' Ash said hopefully. 'Then we'd have two days in a row.'

Misty turned crimson at Ash's unconscious connotations and she choked as she tried to suppress the unwanted thoughts that went with them. 'Er, that would be nice, but I'm needed at the Gym on Friday,' she stumbled out in a high pitched voice.

'Why? It's not even your weekend to run the Gym!'

Misty blinked dimly, marveling momentarily that he'd even been aware of that little known fact. 'Erm, that was the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. The new show opens on Saturday night – I'm rehearsing on Friday night and Saturday afternoon – and I get free tickets so I was wondering…uh, I was wondering if you'd like to come.'

A large grin almost split Ash's face in two. 'Are you kidding me? I'd _love _to come! I haven't been to one of your shows in years!'

Misty laughed shyly at his enthusiasm, resisting the urge to squeal out loud. 'Great!' she laughed breathlessly. 'Brock's coming too you know – it's been so long since we've seen him that I thought it would be a good chance for us to catch up.'

'Awesome! He's been so busy lately, working on his plans for his Breeding Centre that we haven't hung out in ages.'

'I talked to him yesterday - he's helping out before hand so he said he'll meet you there.'

Ash did a double take. 'Wait, Brock's helping - ' The bell rang then, and with a merry laugh Misty disappeared.

'See ya, Ash!'

******

Misty awoke early on Saturday morning, and after her usual early morning swim and shower she found herself slumped on the family room couch, exhausted. Who knew high school could be so _draining?_ Misty had been at Pokemon High for two weeks now but her rigorous schedule was starting to drain on her – she had yet to master the art of balancing her school work, her Gym duties and her social life.

She glanced at the clock, relaxing as she realized she still had a little time before she had to catch her train, and her head slumped backwards as she indulged in gleeful expectations of the day to come. Her thoughts were interrupted as Daisy wandered into the room bearing a large breakfast pastry, followed closely by Violet.

'Hey Misty,' Daisy cooed, presenting her sprawled-out youngest sister with the treat. 'You ready for your big date?' She frowned, leaning backwards to glance critically over her now choking sister. 'You're not wearing _that, _are you?'

'It's not – a date!' Misty choked out, dislodging a piece of pastry from her throat. 'Ash and I are training together – what's the point of dressing up?'

Violet rolled her eyes, idly examining her perfectly buffed half moons. 'So naïve, little sis – you can never be overdressed, especially on a date!'

'It is NOT a date!' Misty shouted desperately. The _last _thing she needed was one of her stupid sisters mentioning something to that effect to Ash later. 'Ash and I are just friends!'

Daisy scoffed. 'Like, then _why _did you invite him to come at watch you swan around in a bikini tonight?'

'Brock's coming too!' Misty argued, flushing furiously.

'He was coming anyway,' Violet snorted. 'He's, like, the king of our fan club!'

'Well Ash isn't, he's just my best friend!'

'Your best friend that you have a mountain sized crush on.'

'Ye – NO!' Misty shrieked, going crimson.

'I knew it! He IS your boyfriend!'

'No he's not!'

'Just suck it up and admit it, lil sis – you _luuuurve _him.'

Misty refused to dignify that with an answer. Instead she chewed furiously on her breakfast, ignoring both her sisters completely.

'Ah, we're just teasing, Misty,' Daisy said quickly, looking faintly alarmed at Misty's increasing bad temper. 'You'll, like, have a ton of fun this morning, right?'

Misty smirked evilly. '_So_ much fun that I might not make it back for our last minute rehearsal!'

Daisy's sappy expression immediately gave way to a surprisingly stern frown. The only thing Daisy cared more about than boys and gossip was herself and her beloved water shows.

'Like, no way Misty! Date or not, you'll be at rehearsals tomorrow _on time!_'

'It's NOT a date!'

'Whatever, Misty. Now, speaking of rehearsals, we should, like, be in the water by four this afternoon, so make sure you're back in time! You know no one else can control that monster you call a Gyarados – I don't know _why_ I agreed to be the Sea Witch, I'm scared for my _life _near that thing!'

Misty ignored the abuse of her prize Pokemon. 'Awww, Daisy, but I'm tired!' she complained.

Daisy tutted. 'No buts, Misty! Like, you were the one that decided to take on a full time education along with a job. And besides, Sensational Sisters don't whine!'

Misty snorted disbelievingly at Daisy's words. Her eldest sister looked affronted, but before she could reply, Lily wandered into the room with an agonized expression.

'I can't, like, find my sword, Daisy!' she wailed.

Misty smothered a laugh. Glancing at the clock she stood up majestically, a superior smile on her face.

'My point exactly,' she stated, grinning at Lily's truly pained expression. Chuckling, she headed out the door towards the station.

She hadn't gotten more than a couple of hundred yards from the Gym when she heard a voice behind her shout her name. Turning in surprise, she saw that Lily as running across the forecourt towards her. Misty blinked in surprise - her sisters usually avoided physical exertion at all costs, and Lily was the prissiest of all.

'I forgot – to tell you,' Misty's pink haired sister panted as she caught up. 'Ash called this morning and told you to meet him at Professor Oak's lab instead of his house.

'Why?' Misty questioned blankly. Lily shrugged.

'He didn't say. I just took the message.'

'Er – thanks Lily, I'll see you later,' Misty mumbled distractedly as she turned away, Lily merrily waving her off. She puzzled over the strange message all the way to Pallet Town. Why on earth would Ash voluntarily go to the lab – otherwise known as the home of Gary Oak himself? It couldn't be to see Tracey – Misty knew that her good friend the Watcher was away on a short research trip, much to Daisy's dismay. Maybe he has Pokemon there that he thinks can help, Misty thought uneasily. That explanation didn't sit quite right with her, and she continued to mull the problem over as she disembarked at Pallet and walked up the hill towards the sprawling lab and adjoining ranch.

It was still early and the grounds were eerily quiet, only the faint echoing sounds of Pokemon calls breaking the quietude. Misty felt a familiar flash of irritation as she reached the door of the building. She had hoped Ash would have the sense to wait for her outside – she hadn't seen Professor Oak in forever and given her testy relationship with Gary, she wasn't too thrilled about knocking on the front door so early in the morning.

Misty almost toppled over backwards when the door snapped sharply open before she'd even raised her hand. Speak of the devil, she thought grimly.

'_Well, _good morning gorgeous,' Gary smirked as he leaned casually against the doorframe, looking so immensely pleased with himself that Misty wanted to punch his pretty face in. 'Look at you, turning up on my doorstep at the crack of dawn – eager, aren't we?'

Misty's voice was like a whip crack. 'Where's Ash?' she deadpanned, staring back at Gary with hard, flinty eyes. 'He said he'd be here.'

Gary chuckled deeply, looking unfairly delighted with life. 'But that's just _it, _Misty. Ash never said _anything_ about being here.'

Misty frowned, her furious demeanor faltering in confusion. 'But – Lily said – he called, and…' She trailed off, narrowing her eyes.

Gary laughed again. 'You big sister was just _too _easy to fool – and Ashy's whine is just too easy to mimic.'

Misty spared about half a second to wonder at the lengths Gary Oak was willing to go to get Ash's back up – and then she exploded like a nuclear bomb.

'GARY OAK, HOW DARE YOU!' she hollered. 'YOU STALKER, HOW DID YOU EVEN KNOW I WAS GOING TO BE IN PALLET TOWN???'

'Oh but I didn't,' Gary blinked with poisonous innocence. 'You just want me that bad. Or at least that's what everyone's going to think when I tell them you turned up on my doorstep at the crack of dawn,' Gary finished with a smirk.

Misty shrieked in indignation. 'WELL JUST WAIT UNTIL I'M DONE WITH YOU, GARY OAK, I'M GONNA RIP - '

'Misty!' came a very out of breath, very, _very _irritated voice from behind her. Misty whipped around to see Ash sprinting up the hill towards her, his face twisted into hurt and outrage.

'Ash!' Misty said, startled by his sudden appearance. 'What are you doing here?'

'What are _you _doing here?' he interrupted, blanking Gary as he came to stand beside her. 'I was coming to meet you halfway and I saw you walking up here!' Misty winced at the obvious hurt that painted his tone.

'She came to see _me, _Ashy-boy – what do you think, retard?' Gary interrupted lazily, watching the pair in front of him with overt amusement.

Ash's expression tightened but he didn't even acknowledge that Gary had spoken, and Misty had to admire his fortitude. 'Ash, I can explain. This _loser _here called my house this morning while I was in the shower and pretended to be you, and told Lily to tell me to meet you here instead. She couldn't tell the difference – but funny, she didn't suspect much when this idiot gave his name as Ash Ketchum.' She shot Gary a scathing look, but Ash rival didn't look the least bit disconcerted.

Ash considered her words for a few moments, his expression still tense. 'So you thought I was going to be here?' he demanded. Misty nodded eagerly. 'And you still want to come to my house?' Misty nodded again, resisting the urge to sigh in exasperation. Ash nodded, smiling at her before turning to Gary with a hopelessly childish smirk on his face. 'Ha!' he crowed in triumph, hands on hips. 'Misty _doesn't _want to hang out with you.'

Gary chuckled smoothly. 'That's what _you _think, Ashy-boy,' he smirked. And fast as lightening, he leaned in and pecked Misty lightly on the cheek. She jumped backwards like she had been electrocuted, fixing Gary with a stunned, unfocused gaze that hadn't time to sharpen into hatred. Ash flushed a furious scarlet, his temperature skyrocketing, but Gary had left him speechless.

'Call me, gorgeous,' Gary murmured seductively in Misty's horror struck face, and with a final, victorious smirk, he drew back into the house and shut the door quietly behind him.

He watched from an upstairs window as the awkward pair made their way down the hill towards Ash's house, chuckling softly to himself. He reached for his cell phone and a crumpled piece of newspaper simultaneously, and dialed the number he found on the scrap.

'Hello, is this the Cerulean Gym box office…?'

*****

As usual, please PLEASE review. I know it's been a while since I published a chapter but reviews are like liquid motivation to me. I need your encouragement to keep this going.

I hope this chapter makes up for the lack of shipping hints and A/M/G moments in the last chapter, and there will be even more in the next – promise.

In this chapter Drew says something that is a blatant plagiarism. If you can tell me where it's from, I'm your new best friend.

_**Review Replies:**_

I simply cannot thank you all enough for your unending support. Words cannot express how thankful I am you are enjoying this enough to take the time to tell me so. This story wouldn't exist without you all. I'm sorry that I no longer have time to reply to you all individually, but every word of encouragement you leave fuels me to finish this faster. Thank you, I love you all!!!


	12. A Night To Remember

Hey readers! Okay, so here it is – the monster that took over my life and refused to be written. I wash my hands of it. Enjoy!!!

Chapter 12: A Night To Remember

Ash shifted in his plush seat impatiently, squinting down at the shaded stage area and darkened above ground, glass encased pool. The packed Gym was buzzing with excitement and strains of cheerful music filled the air but there was no sign of movement in the performance area, and though the show wasn't due to start for another ten minutes Ash couldn't stop himself from scanning the area for any signs of Misty.

Their morning together had gone amazingly well, despite the cringe worthy discomfort Gary's little charade had left them with. Ash had seriously contemplated going back to the lab and dragging Gary outside by his perfect hair to have it out with him once and for all, but for some reason he really didn't want Misty to know just how much the smarmy traitor had wrangled him. Plus, he was still pretty sure he'd come off worse in a fight with his oldest rival. The last thing he needed was a black eye – his life sucked enough as it was.

And so to ward off marauding awkwardness they'd gone straight to Ash's house and released their Pokemon – Ash had carefully selected a team of varying Types and had tried to include as many of his Kanto and Johto Pokemon as possible. The strategy seemed to work as Misty's Staryu, Psyduck, Politoed and other older Pokemon had been thrilled to see their old traveling companions, and Pikachu, Bulbasaur and the others had returned the sentiments with enthusiasm. After the reunions a round of introductions ensued, and emboldened by their older and wiser friends' apparent lack of fear Misty's newer Pokemon had tentatively begun to interact with Ash's other Types. Misty and Ash had supervised carefully, hoping to avoid scaring Misty's Pokemon further, but all went remarkably smoothly. Misty (watched very closely by Ash) had moved between her Pokemon, offering encouragement and gently soothing their fears with her rare, motherly Trainer skills.

Any lingering hesitations seemed to fade quickly as Pikachu lead a large group game, and by the end of the morning the Water types seemed totally at ease with the other Types – Ash even witnessed few spontaneous joint attacks between his Pokemon and Misty's Pokemon as they all sought to display their strengths as battlers. And much to Ash and Misty's joint amusement, Charizard and Gyarados had ended the morning firm friends.

The two imposing Pokemon had initially refused to acknowledge each other, pointedly turning their backs and sticking their respective noses in the air, but when they both deigned to join in with Pikachu's games they seemed to form an uneasy sort of truce of mutual understanding. They ended up whiling the morning away by swapping increasingly exaggerated stories about their Trainer hating pasts. After much discussion of the matter they unanimously concluded that weedy little humans were in fact a lot tougher than they looked.

Misty had left soon after lunch and Ash had followed a couple of hours later, meeting up with a sweaty and matted Brock just outside the theatre. Ash was reminded of the rumor that claimed the Sensational Sisters were notorious for putting their admirers to work, and didn't trouble himself to ask. As instructed they'd skipped past the seemingly endless line of people, drawing envious and sometimes murderously jealous looks when Ash quietly stated that Miss Misty Waterflower had left them both tickets. To their joint surprise, Ash and Brock were greeted by the ushers like celebrities and shown to their luxurious tankside VIP seats.

Once seated Brock and Ash had immediately indulged in a happy catch up – Brock had been busy for most of the last few months, traveling between Breeding Centers to study them and thus formulate his own business plans. Ash had accompanied him over the summer but they hadn't seen much of each other since school had begun, and he was glad for the opportunity to talk unhindered. Ash had even left Pikachu at home with his mother for a change, exhausted by a morning of diplomacy, so it really was just he and Brock for a change.

But the talk had soon switched to the show – Brock raved mercilessly about the three elder Sensational Sisters, and Ash privately prayed for a chance to feed his friend to Misty's Gyarados – and thus led to an increase in Ash's impatience for the show to begin. For no specific reason, he told himself firmly.

'Chill _out _Ash,' Brock laughed after several moments of watching his younger friend in silence. 'Glaring at the stage won't make the show start faster, you know.'

Ash flushed and looked away. 'I wasn't _glaring_,' he grated out.

A soft and eerily familiar chuckle sounded from somewhere behind him. 'Yeah, _right.'_

Ash froze, turning slowly around in his seat. And sure enough, there was Gary Oak, lounging in an equally opulent seat just two rows back, his feet propped comfortably on the back of the still empty seat right behind Brock.

'What are _you _doing here?!' Ash spat, sure he was about to suffer a hatred induced brain aneurysm.

Gary shrugged, that indomitable smirk plastered all over his face. 'It's a free country, Ashy-boy. And I wasn't about to pass up on a free ticket, was I?'

Ash blundered straight into the trap. 'Who gave you a free ticket?' he demanded instantly. Gary just laughed superiorly. 'Who do you _think, _loser?' he chided, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes to indicate that their conversation was over.

Fear clawed out of Ash's stomach and up his throat, and he turned quickly back to face the tank.

'He's lying, Ash,' Brock stated calmly. 'Misty'd rather eat her own head than _think _about Gary – let alone give him a free ticket.'

Ash's stomach churned uncomfortably as he remembered the kiss of the morning. Reason and sense told him it had been entirely one sided. His fears told him otherwise.

Ash was saved from further reflection as the dimly lit stadium plunged into total darkness as the music faded away, drawing shrieks from the crowd.

'Ladies and gentlemen,' the announcer boom. Ash's jaw dropped. 'Welcome to the Cerulean City Gym, home of the Sensational Sisters.'

'You!' Ash hissed, turning to face where he assumed his friend was as the announcement continued.

'Me!' Brock said proudly out of the darkness. 'Can you believe it? They said they needed a male voice and get this – they let me clean their pool as payment!'

Ash stared in Brock's general direction in pity, but when he received no visible or audible response he gave up trying to convey his disdain and turned to face the invisible stage.

'…make sure your cell phones are silenced and for the safety of our performers, flash photography is forbidden. Now, we hope you enjoy the show!' Brock's voice echoed away and left a moment of silence filled with the eager murmur of the crowd, which faded rapidly as soft, haunting music began to float through the arena. Ash's stomach leapt and he leaned forward in his seat, peering into the dimness for any sign of life.

Any moment now…

The music continued, lonely and oddly surreal, building quickly up to a sudden strident drum roll that ended the composition abruptly and dramatically. And as the stadium plunged back into echoing silence a spotlight pierced through the darkness, carving through the shade and the sudden, deathly quiet like a knife blade, and illuminated the high dive board many feet above the surface of the gloomy water. The usually stark white plank was wreathed in trailing vines and greenery.

There sat Misty.

Ash stopped breathing.

She was clad in a shell style bathing suit top of pale green, the shape and pattern accentuated by broad silver and thin black highlights. Her lower body was encased in a fabulously iridescent acid green tail, its glittering folds trailing off into long, opulent fins tipped with angular black. Her fingers and lower arms sported lacey fingerless gloves of emerald green, and every uncovered inch of her pale, glowing skin was painted in swirling patterns of silver body paint, like a war chief.

Her long fiery hair hung swished around her and it had been extended past her waist, and in it were entangled delicate silver and green vines and atop her head she wore an intricate tiara of silver and green. And even from where he sat Ash could make out the gleam of her aqua eyes, elaborately accentuated with striking black cat eyed eyeliner, burning jade eyeshadow and coarse glitter on her eyelids and cheeks.

Ash was shaking. He remembered Misty's last mermaid costume with embarrassing clarity but this was so different, so shockingly, sensually different that it put Misty's childhood outfit entirely in the shade. He couldn't seem to remember how to breathe, or think, or even how to shut his eyes, because his Misty looked so stunningly beautiful and heartbreakingly lonely that he actually thought he would die if he stopped looking at her.

She sat with her tail trailing over the side of the board, her hands clasped in her lap and her eyes downcast. The music began again, clear and poignant and as it played Misty seemed to come alive. Her eyes opened and she fixed the audience with a distant, longing look, stretching a hand out above her head in a gesture of such melancholy desire that Ash felt lump in his throat appear out of nowhere.

As he watched Misty dance he began to realize that this was unlike any other Sensational Sister show he had ever seen. There was no narrator, and Misty wore no microphone. It was a mime of the most elaborate proportions, and only the movements of Misty's body and the melody of the music would tell the story.

He watched, enraptured, as Misty's told of her unhappiness, her loneliness, her despair, his eyes never leaving the curve of her body or her outstretched fingers. The music flowed alongside and as it drew to a close Misty's first, glorious solo ended with tumultuous applause as she threw herself backwards and leaned her head dramatically over the edge of the diving board.

There was a brief lull of silence, and then a deafening crack of thunder rolled menacingly through the stadium, followed quickly by a flash of lightning that lit up the entire room. In the brief flash Ash could make out a large, spindly shape down in the water, silhouetted black against the blaze of white light. Misty leapt to her feet (or fins) and clapped her hands over her mouth in a dramatic gesture of fear, before another flash of lightning illuminated the stadium more permanently and Ash was able to see what the shape was.

In the middle of the tank stood a stunning replica of a wooden sailing ship, swaying dangerously back and forward atop the surging waves. The music began again, relentless and dangerous, and Ash could see Lily aboard the shape of the ship, clinging to the wheel to avoid being swept away by the merciless winds assaulting her battered ship. Her costume was almost as stunning as Misty's – a gold trimmed three point hat, a loose white shirt, tan knee length pants and shiny dark brown knee boots.

Not even Brock's accompanying sob of desperation was enough to break Ash out of his trance.

The water around the ship began to flood with the Waterflower Pokemon, who circled the spectacle helplessly, and as the music grew faster and faster Misty rejoined the story. With a dramatic flourish she took a spectacular leap down into the water, executing twists and turns with style and grace.

The crowd burst into applause as she made her way through the water, helped by the Pokemon, but before she could reach the ship a terrific crack echoed through the theatre as it began to disintegrate. The music grew desperate and aboard the ship Lily threw her arms in the air in a gesture of exaggerated panic, and as the ship slowly began to sink beneath the waves and into the shadows, she was thrown into the water with a terrific crash of drums.

Misty surged towards her sinking sister, and as the ship dipped out of sight and the storm began to fade the music slowed, and with the Water Pokemon alongside, Misty and Lily began a tentative, passionate underwater dance.

The two sisters moved together under the water, drawing closer and pulling away with the strains of fascinated music, and Ash was lost in the exquisite choreography. Somewhere he vaguely realized that they must be using breathing apparatuses in order to stay under the water for so long, but the movements were so flawlessly designed and executed that he could hardly guess when they were taking the much needed breaths. Lily was a stunning performer, confident and experienced, but Misty outshone her in the most dramatic of ways. Strengthened by the dance and the costume, her naturally show stopping beauty and rare talent became positively ethereal in its scope.

The scene came to a close with Misty pulling the now-unconscious prince up onto a strip of dry land in a far corner of the pool, and with a wide eyed look of regret Misty dove spectacularly back into the water and disappeared. After a moment Lily seemed to come to and raised her head with a dramatic shake, rubbing the side of her face and staring hard at the water with confusion.

The peace of the scene was shattered when Daisy made her first appearance as the Sea Witch. The music reached its crescendo as Misty's Gyarados burst out of the water, scattering the remaining Water Pokemon who were covertly watching the prince, and atop its head sat Daisy in all her glory. She was dangerously clad in skintight purple and a long, serpentine tail of black and silver, an outlandish headdress hiding most of her shiny blonde locks. With a wild cackle she seized the terrified prince and dragged him back down into the water, waving her silver scepter in defiance as she did, and the stadium drifted into darkness.

A few seconds later the water burst into light as Misty could be seen swimming purposefully towards a large, pearly throne at the bottom of the tank, flanked by her Water friends. There sat Violet, and though the scene was deadly serious Ash almost wanted to laugh – clearly, Misty's beautiful sister hadn't taken her casting as the Sea King well, and consequently it appeared that the role had been transformed into that of the Sea Queen. Violet's costume echoed Misty's – she sported a coral and gold shell bathing suit top, gold body paint and a long glittering tail of pale yellow and gold, with fins of pale orange. In one hand she bore a golden trident and atop her head was a golden crown encrusted with pearls and shells.

Misty swam up to her and aided by her friends, proceeded to reenact the sinking of the ship and the near drowning of the prince, the music reflecting her performance. Misty's movements were fluid and dramatic as she mimicked the decent of the ship with her hands and swell of the waves with her fingers. But when she got to the part about the prince she clasped her hands together and stared dreamily off into the distance, a blissful smile on her face, and Ash felt his insides clench so tightly that he had to clutch the arms of his seat to relieve the almost painful sensation.

Sea Queen Violet was unmoved, displaying her disapproval and disappointment of Misty's actions with frowns and firm gestures that matched the forceful music. Misty grew visibly dejected, and under the stern gaze of her sister, slipped away. Violet's throne fell into darkness as Misty swam slowly away, coming to rest elegantly on a rock with her tail curled seductively beside her. She stared longingly upwards as her Pokemon gathered around her, but she would not be comforted, smiling sadly as they did their best to cheer her up.

Unnoticed by the Princess Sea Witch Daisy hovered close by, hidden by the shadows and watching the lonely Princess with a cruel smile. Leaving Gyarados she swam slowly forward, rearranging her features to a look of concern as she settled on the rock beside the heartbroken Misty.

Misty was jolted out of her reverie at the Witch's sudden and unwanted appearance and she leapt up from the rock and made to swim away, but Daisy skillfully blocked her exit while flashing a hurt look at the Princess. Misty hesitated, still looking deeply suspicious, and Ash could see the gleam of triumph in Daisy's eye as she leaned forward, pretending to speak sweetly to the Mer-Princess. She drew a flat silver contraption out of a bag slung around her waist, and holding it up in front of Misty's face produced a miniature hologram of Lily as the Prince. The audience gasped their appreciation. A brief look of longing crossed Misty's face at the sight of her love but with a firm shake of her head she turned away.

Daisy was not going to allow her quarry to escape that easily. With a swish of her tail she was in front of Misty again, and before the Mer-Princess could escape she drew her opulent silver scepter sharply though the water. A stream of venomous purple issued forth, curling up in dangerous streaks and clouding the water all around Misty and her friends.

It was perhaps the most artfully crafted piece of the entire productions – a liquid dance of seduction, the Sea Witch weakening the innocent Mer-Princess to evil. Under the influence of Daisy's potion the Water Pokemon's eyes drooped and they sunk down into darkness, leaving Misty vulnerably alone and paralyzed by the Witch's guile, unable to resist the sudden attack. Her expression grew more and more dazed as the cunning Witch filled her with poisonous lies, and the piece ended with Daisy seizing Misty's wrist like an adult patronizing a child and drawing her into the Witch's shaded lair.

An entirely new part of the tank was illuminated, and as soon as Misty crossed the threshold of the Witch's cave the spell over her seemed to break. With a horrified gasp she tried to turn tail and escape, but Daisy was way ahead of her. With a scream of laughter she seized Misty roughly by the wrists and threw her into a cruel prison of twisted, gleaming steel. Misty rattled and tugged at the unforgiving bars but it was useless. She was trapped.

Seeing her prisoner helpless Daisy gave another cackle, and out of the shadows Gyarados appeared, bearing a singularly astonishing prop in its mouth. It was a large gleaming crystal sphere and in it, alive, dry and banging on the smooth, inwardly curving surface, was Lily.

The crowd gasped their approval of the stunning set piece but neither Misty nor Lily seemed to share their enthusiasm. Misty's hand wound between the bars in a futile attempt to reach her beloved as the Prince pressed close against the glass, calling to her. As Daisy laughed manically once again Misty attacked her entrapments with new fervor, but with no success.

The lights in the stadium flashed and the music roared as with a burst of yellow light, Violet entered the scene, flanked by Misty's recovered Water friends. Brandishing her trident she fell into a furious conflict with the shocked Sea Witch, their mystical weapons flashing as they met under the water. The final battle raged, Misty's Pokemon facing off with Gyarados bravely as they showed off their Bubble and Watergun attacks – all carefully places to miss the half Dragon type by inches.

Escaping from Violet's onslaught for a brief second Daisy laughed cruelly, and with astonishing speed she opened Misty's cage, bound her hands and began to swim away, turning back to taunt the Sea Queen as she struck the struggling Misty hard across the face. Violet's eyes flashed in rage as she dove towards the enemy, but Prince Lily was furious beyond reason. Drawing her long, curved scimitar she slashed the glass, taking a last desperate gasp of air as she swam awkwardly towards the unconscious princess, who had slipped from Daisy's grip as Violet fell upon her. Misty awoke quickly at her Prince's touch and they shared a brief moment joyful moment before Lily freed her from the snares.

Infuriated by the escape of her captive, Daisy launched a furious assault on the Sea Queen – but it was her undoing. With a blaze of light that burned with finality Violet delivered the last blow and Daisy was thrown backwards, plunging towards the sea floor with an echoing wrathful scream, Gyarados slinking into the shadows. There was a brief moment of celebration among the victors, the Pokemon launching a huge group Watergun so powerful it exploded through the surface of the pool like a fountain - before Lily's hand flew to her mouth and her eyes fluttered shut. Misty slapped her hand over her mouth and swam frantically towards the sinking Prince. And there, the scene went black.

When the scene reopened Lily was lying unconscious on the island again, but she was not alone. Misty and Violet watched from some distance off, flanked by the many Water Pokemon, but Sea Queen Violet was not looking at the human. She was looking at her daughter's distraught face, and with a gesture of relinquishment, she motioned Misty towards the lifeless prince. Misty's face lit up and after throwing her arms around her mother in an act of pure joy, she swam furiously towards the sand strip and carefully lifted herself out of the water and beside the prince. The play ended as Lily opened her eyes to find her head cradled in Misty's lap, and they smiled at each other, briefly and poignantly as the stadium went dark for the last time and the happy music faded into the distance.

There was a moment of stunned silence that buzzed through the stadium, before the Gym exploded into thunderous applause. The crowd went wild, the whooping and cheering almost deafening as every single person in the room leapt to their feet.

All except one. Ash was rooted to his seat, staring blankly at the spot where Misty had last been and he didn't hear the low, deeply amused chuckle from beside him. His poor, overloaded brain tried desperately to assimilate everything he had just seen and experienced, but he simply could not handle it.

The lights burned again to reveal the four Sensational Sisters in the centre of the pool, flanked by all of their Pokemon, and the volume increased as they each swam forward to take their individual accolades. First Daisy, then Violet, then Lily, and finally, Misty, waving rather shyly up at the adoring crowds, a little thrilled smile on her face as the noise reached its limit just for her. Ash swallowed so sharply it hurt. With a final group bow the quartet disappeared back into darkness.

When the cheers finally faded and the lights all over the room began to come on, the pool was empty again – at least of people, the Pokemon milling comfortably around in the water that was their home. A hum of conversation immediately buzzed through the room as the crowd slowly began to filter out, but Ash didn't flinch, nor did he make any move to leave.

'Er, come on Ash,' Brock said, his voice thick with laughter. He'd long since recovered from his post Sensational Sister droop and was now inwardly crowing over the fact that his younger male friend was the one suffering at the hands of a heartless female – for the first time _ever._ 'This place is almost empty and we're meant to meet Misty backstage remember?' When Ash didn't move his voice took on a coaxing quality, like he was tempting a reluctant child. 'Come on, Ash, for Misty? You can tell her how much you liked her show.'

Ash turned and looked at his friend vaguely, blinking rapidly. 'Okay,' he said faintly, struggling awkwardly to his feet like his legs had gone dead. Brock spluttered helplessly as he tried not to laugh but the person behind them clearly had no qualms about laughing at Ash as a derisive cackle pierced Ash's trace like an arrow.

'Enjoy your little friend's show?' Gary taunted, his eyes alight with amusement. 'I just wish I'd brought my camera – I'm sure Misty would have been very interested in seeing you _drooling _over her - interested in that she'd use them as proof to get a restraining order against you.'

The haze of blissful reflections that was keeping Ash from the rest of the functioning world dissipated rapidly at Gary's provocative comment. He narrowed his eyes and crouched into a predatory stance, but his mind had not yet sufficiently recovered enough to come up with a smart comeback. The best he could manage was an angry snarl.

'Go away, Gary,' Brock cut in irritably.

Gary ignored that completely and instead tipped his head to the side thoughtfully, smirking. 'Well, I can kinda see why you would enjoy a show like that. _I _sure did. That green tail was pretty sexy…hmmm, I'd tap that.'

Ash had heard enough. With a feral snarl, he attempted to fling himself over two rows of seats with the sole intention of punching Gary's snide face in. Brock lunged for Ash's arms quickly, not wanting for his younger friend to end up responsible maiming Gary for life, but he couldn't restrain the vicious growl that escaped Ash's clenched jaw.

Gary actually looked mildly surprised for a second, but then he laughed again.

'So naïve, Ashy,' he smirked condescending. 'Touching really, that you feel the need to defend Miss Gorgeous Misty's honor – too bad she doesn't _want _you to.'

And with a last triumphant smirk, Gary turned away. 'Bye, Ashy-boy,' he called gaily over his shoulder as he strutted off.

Ash watched him go with a positively murderous expression, contemplating setting Charizard on his enemy (Pikachu would have been his first choice but the electric mouse was undoubtedly fast asleep on his mothers lap at that moment and so unavailable for the job) before realizing with an embarrassed flush that his arms were still locked in Brock's restraining grasp. Jerking himself away and pointedly ignoring the cluster of people peering at him with unrestrained interest, Ash stormed off in the general direction of Misty's dressing room.

As he pushed roughly through the crowd, drawing irritated and scandalized looks by his rudeness, Ash's mind was racing. Why did he feel the need to defend Misty so strongly? He would happily kicked Gary's face in for saying such things, if given the chance. And yet…Gary never actually _insulted _Misty in the same way he insulted Ash. In fact, though his words were crass and leery they actually amounted to one thing – that Gary found Misty both attractive and worth his time.

Ash scowled fiercely. And why exactly did that idea bother him so much?

Brock caught up with Ash a few minutes sitting on a bench in a quiet corner and diplomatically didn't breathe a word about Gary, scared he'd lose a limb to Ash's wrath. Instead he swung the conversation to the one thing guaranteed to cheer Ash up.

'Come on, Ash, Misty'll be waiting.'

Brock knew Ash too well. Within seconds all thoughts of Gary were a distant memory, as Ash's brain was taken up with more pressing matters – like how he now had to see a wet, bikini clad Misty and pretend he hadn't been ogling her for the last hour solid. The problem was, seeing Misty was going to involve speaking and holding a conversation – skills that seemed to have miraculously vanished from his range of abilities during the course of the evening.

He was just contemplating making a quick escape and avoiding Misty for the rest of his life when the star spangled dressing room door came into view, a burly security guard standing imposingly outside.

'You are?' he questioned curtly as they approached.

'Brock Harrison and Ash Ketchum,' Brock cut in quickly, in case Ash was still too ticked off about Gary to be polite – little did he know Gary had long vanished from Ash's mind. 'Misty said we could come and see her after the show. We're friends of hers.'

The security man nodded brusquely and radioed their names through, Ash watching in some astonishment. The last time he'd been in Cerulean for a show there hadn't been a hint of security. The Sensational Sisters were obviously more popular than ever. His musings were cut short when the guard received what sounded like a bunch of static as a reply. Ash couldn't make out a word but it must have meant something to the man as he stood aside to let them pass.

'Miss Waterflower will see you now.'

The room was predictable large, with four brightly lit, messy makeup tables and a vast separate wardrobe room and shower area - and it was empty. The radio hummed in the background and smoke curled dangerously from a forgotten straightening iron, but all of the Sisters were decidedly absent. Ash shifted awkwardly. He was already uncomfortable with the prospect of facing Misty after the fascinatingly _disturbing _show – but the idea of hanging out in the empty room made him feel like one of those creepy fan boys who crawled up the walls of the Gym at night to peer into whatever Sister's bedroom window was uncovered.

Ergo, Brock. Not that he _ever _went near his 'little sister' – that was an idea too creepy to behold.

Ash's male brain didn't give him much time for regret, though. The walls covered in pictures depicting one or all of the four Sisters, and Ash found his eyes lingering on a particularly mesmerizing one that showed Misty in a blue and yellow two piece. His gawking was rudely interrupted by a wet gurgle from somewhere behind him.

Ash turned around, a hiss of exasperation escaping him at the sight of the groveling, drooling mess that was Brock. The situation was made even _more _irritating by the fact that all it had taken was the sight of a large group picture to turn Brock back into a quivering mess of testosterone and desperation.

Rolling his eyes he turned around to survey the empty room, realizing with mounting satisfaction that he now had the perfect excuse to escape his best friend. He would just tell her on Monday, in a miffed voice, that he had come to see her like she asked but that she simply hadn't cared enough to show up herself. Provided that he'd sufficiently recovered by Monday to look his best friend in the eye.

Quashing that irritating thought Ash was about to start the long, arduous process of dragging Brock away by his hair. But before he could turn the door to the showers opened and Misty walked into the room. To Ash's immediate relief he noted that she had shed the mermaid costume in favor of jeans and an old t-shirt, but her dripping wet hair still brushed her hips and her face still wore its elaborate stage makeup. She looked positively dangerous close up.

Ash felt his pulse spike as she grinned somewhat abashedly.

'Hey guys!' she said happily as she hugged Ash, who barely avoided topping over in surprise. 'I'm – er, glad you could make it. So what did you think?'

Ash swallowed, the part of his brain _not _occupied with staring at Misty aware that he was now expected to reply, as was the usual courtesy in conversations. But Ash didn't want to talk, especially not to Misty. He wanted to run home and knock himself out so that he'd never have to think again.

'It was awesome, Misty,' Brock said, his voice heavy with suppressed laughter. Ash flinched, irritably noting how quickly his inebriated friend had recovered when offered a chance to laugh at him. '_You _were awesome. Your sisters must have been mad not to make you a Sensational Sister up until now – _right, _Ash???'

Ash panicked, quickly attempting to sum up just how _much _he'd enjoyed the show without sounding like a fully fledged stalker. He was mercifully saved when the door to the bathrooms burst open again and the elder three Sensational Sisters walked into the room, all in various stages of undress.

They immediately descended upon him like a flock of excitable exotic birds, but Ash was unmoved – though he did hear a vague thunk as Brock sank to the ground in a dead faint somewhere behind him. He was simply eternally grateful that they'd chosen that _exact _moment to fly in and flock around him, cooing like doves.

'_Ashy – _you've, like, _grown.'_

'Nice catch, lil sis!'

'I hope you're planning on treating our sister right, young man - '

'_Daisy!'_ Three brightly colored heads whipped around to face a glowering Misty, her face so red it was practically steaming. Ash was sure that much heat radiating from her head would dry her hair in an instant. 'Can you _please _shut up? And Brock'll be coming around any moment, so you really should - '

'Good point, Misty,' Violet cut in, looking alarmed. 'He's, like, _scary. _I'd get a restraining order but he _is_ your friend and all...'

'If my beauty sleep gets disrupted _one more time _by him warbling love songs under my window, I'm going to, like, feed him to Gyarados,' Lily snarled, looking so uncharacteristically fierce that Ash quit gaping at Misty for two seconds to stare, stunned, at her vicious expression. 'And then I'm going to bring him back so I can - '

'Like, _enough _already, Lily,' Daisy said exasperatedly. 'Let's just go now, hmmm? I don't want him cutting off any more of my hair as keepsakes.'

The three elder sisters promptly retreated as fast as they'd appeared, leaving nothing but heavily scented air and shouted farewells in their wake.

Misty watched them go with a chagrined expression. 'Er – sorry about that. They're a little delusional.'

An awkward silence ensued, only interrupted by Brock's sniffling moan as he dropped unconscious again at the sight of the empty room. The tension that had been stalking them for the last couple of days seeped between them, and Ash cleared his throat uncomfortably.

'So – did you, uh, enjoy the show?' Misty hazarded again.

'Uhh, _yeah_,' Ash blurted out with far more emphasis than he'd intended. 'I mean – it was really good. You were really good. Er - yeah. I didn't now you could do stuff like that.'

Misty flushed with pleasure. 'Thanks, Ash,' she said sincerely, apparently unaware of her best friend's increasing inner turmoil. 'It meant a lot, knowing you were in the audience.'

Warning sirens began to flash and scream in Ash's head, and he knew now was the time to leave before he did something _really _stupid. And he honestly thought that if he had to look at Misty for one more second he was going to throw up with nerves. Or his head was going to explode.

'That's good, yes, that's excellent,' Ash blustered. 'But, uh, I need to go now. Uhh, I mean, I told my Mom I'd be back by eleven, and I don't want her to worry, cause if she worries then Pikachu will worry and he'll shock me when I get back and – yeah, I'm just gonna wake Brock up now.'

Ash turned away from the faintly alarmed Misty and crouched by his friend, wondering briefly if he was truly losing his mind. He relieved some of his tension by slapping Brock hard on the side of the head.

'Wake up, loser,' he said tensely. It took a glass of water and a couple more slaps to bring him to, but when Brock caught sight of Ash's expression he didn't object to leaving. He valued his life too much for that.

With a gabbled farewell Ash exited spectacularly ungracefully, dragged Brock behind him before the breeder had even had a chance to say goodbye to the entirely freaked out Misty, her plans for a nice catch up between the three old friends vanishing into dust. The crowds in the Gym had finally started to dissipate and with the speed Ash was going at it wasn't long before they found themselves outside the Gym, searching for Brock's car.

Ash wanted to scream. Brock had been eyeing him with unrestrained smugness ever since they'd exited Misty's room, and Ash had been pointedly ignoring him.

'I knew it.'

Ash couldn't help himself. 'Knew what?' he questioned frostily

'I knew you were in love with Misty.'

Ash froze, his head snapping sideways so he could glare icily at his friend. '_What did you say?'_

'Oh come on, Ash, just admit it already!'

Panic rose in Ash's throat and did its utmost to choke him to death. 'I have _no_ idea what you are talking about.'

Brock snorted, breaking out into a grin. 'Come on Ash, don't tell me you thought you had me fooled. In case you've forgotten I _saw _the way you were looking at her during the show – you think I'm stupid or something?' Brock rambled on, oblivious to Ash's shell shocked expression. 'Heck, I've known for _years. _You're about as subtle as a train wreck. And I'm not the only one. Everybody with a _brain_ knows – your mom, Tracey, May, Dawn, Professor Oak, Misty's _stunning _sisters -' Brock clasped his

hands like a love struck fool, silent for a few moments before sighing dejectedly and continuing ' – er, everyone. So don't think you're putting anything on us. The real question is, what are you going to do about it? You guys are old enough to have a real relationship now, and you're actually on the same continent for a while – come to think about it, why haven't you asked her out yet?'

Ash listened with mounting horror and he realized that if he didn't put a stop to this things were going to get a lot worse very quickly. Brock didn't need to be asking questions like that. But unfortunately, Ash didn't have much experience at shutting Brock up. Ash had never had reason to silence his older and supposedly wiser friend before – Brock usually had something reasonable to say.

So spurning the rites of maturity and sensible adult conversation, Ash reverted to the only possible tactic he could think of.

'_Shut up, Brock_,' Ash hissed, his voice stiff with anger – the first time it had ever been that way in relation to Brock. 'Just shut up. You have no idea what you're talking about, so I don't want to hear it. So shut UP!'

And with that, Ash pulled a Gary Oak and stalked off into the night.

*****

Ash paced up and down the strip of floor by his bedroom window, his arms crossed stiffly across his chest. Brock was wrong. Brock _had _to be wrong. Heck, the hopeful Breeder had been reading girls wrong for as long as Ash had known him! There was _no _tangible reason why Ash should believe him or take his advice. Heck, there was almost eight years of evidence against him!

But Brock knows Misty so well, the voice in the back of his head tempted. And he knows _you._

No, Ash thought firmly, tangling his fingers into his hair. Brock was _all wrong. _He'd been exposed to the Sensational Sisters before he's made his little declaration about Ash's supposed feelings for Misty. He hadn't been in his right mind.

Giving up and quietly suspecting that this was one internal argument he was not going to win, Ash staggered over to his bed and slumped onto the sheets. He curled up beneath his covers and pulled the pillow over his head. I'm not in love with Misty. I'm not in love with Misty. I'm not in love with Misty.

Thirty seconds later Ash shot up in bed, staring with wide, wild eyes at the blank wall in front of him.

I'm in love with Misty.

He slumped down onto his bed again, not bothering to muffle a groan. And what the _heck _was he going to do now?

*****

Yessssss, owari!!! Ash has finally caught on to how he feels about his best friend – will he live through the next week, or will he commit ritual seppuku? Will Misty see right through him like she always does? What nefarious plan does Gary have in mind to send Ash entirely mad? Wait and see!!! Next chapter coming SOON!

I couldn't believe how difficult it was to write – I could _see_ Misty and the show and _hear _the music in my head, and I only hope I was able to convey at least part of my vision to you. The style of the performance was inspired by the kabuki scene in Memoirs of a Geisha, and Misty's costume was inspired by Poison Ivy, the Batman super villainess.

Please, for the love of Pokemon, review. I know this chapter is unlike anything else in this story, but please take the time to tell me if you approve. Feedback feeds my inspiration.

**Review Replies:**

As always, my lovelies, your encouragement was invaluable. Thank you all for being so patient in waiting for the last chapter. Seriously, this story would no longer exist without you all, and it thrills me that you stick with me, comment and enjoy it as much as you do. Special thanks to _Fire Drastar _for quoting her favorite lines and telling me her favorite parts, that was awesome to know which specific quotes and stuff appealed to you. And to _HighQueen_ – yeah, that was totally a Star Wars reference! But to each and every one of you – thank you so much :)


	13. Bet On It

Hey people! Well, this chapter was a strange mix for me – most of it was written a long time ago, but the new parts I had to write dug their heels in and stubbornly refused to be written. Hate goes out to **Texas Longhorn**, for his invaluable input into this chapter. Contestshippers, this is the one you've been waiting for. So though it took a lot longer than I thought it would, I am very happy to present Chapter Thirteen of All For One. Enjoy!

Chapter Thirteen – Bet On It

The next couple of days consisted of a special sort of private hell for Ash Ketchum. It had been less than a week since he'd lost to Gary and back then, when he was still insensible to horrors of (supposedly) unrequited love, he'd honestly believed his life couldn't get any worse. But after seeing Misty on Monday morning he knew different.

As soon as she stepped into the classroom she made a beeline for him and immediately demanded an explanation for Ash's rapid retreat two nights before, her eyes on fire with indignation. Ash privately vowed to capture an Abra at the first possible opportunity so he could Teleport himself out of such situations, as he really had nothing to say in his own defense. Red faced and flustered he simply mumbled some excuse about not wanting to worry Pikachu. Here, the Electric type Thundershocked him and launched into such an exasperated tirade that Ash was eternally grateful Misty couldn't understand PikaTalk.

When Pikachu finally fell silent Misty huffed, convinced he'd simply hated the show – or even worse, found it funny in some way. She fought the urge to whip out her mallet (having decided to start carrying it again, after her little showdown with Gary on Saturday morning) and punish him for his suspected rudeness and seeing the gleam in her eyes Ash, predictably, panicked. Terrified at the thought of meeting Death By Mallet, Ash put his foot in his mouth so spectacularly that he wished he could just quit school and hide out in a cave in the mountains for the rest of his life.

'Don't be stupid, Misty, I really, really liked your show, like, a _lot_!I freakin' _loved _it, actually.' His cheeks began to burn in shame the second the words left his mouth, but he couldn't take them back – and then she'd smiled in a way that made Ash want to sink through the floor. And it had only gotten worse.

It was bad enough when she was around him – his stomach seemed to disappear when she looked at him, his tongue would tangle, and he would lose all control over his motor functions. The feeling of lost control around his very best friend was so foreign that Ash wasn't sure if he could bear it. But the worst part of the situation was that no matter what he did, he just couldn't escape her presence in his life. She was _everywhere – _in the pools of the Water Training fields, and in the carrots and peppers his mother served him for his dinner, and in the Bug types in the school Pokemon Centre, and in the wind rustling through the amber and gold of the fading trees that lined the Pokemon High campus, and in the high clear azure morning sky of the first chilly fall morning. Ash couldn't think, or breathe, or sleep, or eat, or function like a normal human being. All he could do was think about her, and wonder what the heckhe was going to do next.

Ash had it _bad._

He'd even called Brock to apologize, explaining how the knowledge that he was in love had hit him blindside with shocking recentness, proving him at least six years behind the rest of the intelligent world. However, he did admit (rather shamefully) that Brock had been right all along, and while the aspiring Breeder was initially taken aback by his friend's mournful confession, his words were predictably kind and understanding.

'Ash, I'm so sorry,' he said immediately. 'I'd never have said a word if I'd known. I thought it was just common knowledge that you liked her.'

Ash drifted through the first part of the week in a sort of constant nightmarish daze.

Not even Gary Oak could sting him, though the obnoxious brunette kept up with his attempt to reduce Ash to insanity before the end of the month, by parading his so called obvious supremacy in the halls, the lunchroom, the Battle Complex, the classrooms, and anywhere else he could get Ash with no teachers around. When Ash continued to shrug off Gary's increasingly unacceptable behavior so languidly, his friends began to realize that their companion had experienced something of an epiphany. Drew commented that Ash permanently wore the guise of a Standtler in the headlights, and Paul dropped many heavy hints indicating that he thought he deserved the credit for making Ash wake up and smell the bacon.

'Oh, just ADMIT IT already, Ash!' Drew yelled in exasperation after calling Ash a cross-dressing freakshow, an ugly git, and an amateur of a Trainer one lunchtime; receiving no reaction from his zoned-out friend. Ash was too busy planning his emigration to the outermost islands in the Orange archipelago to listen to him. However, Paul outsmarted him by calling Brock and insisting that he needed the Breeder's support in getting Ash to 'fess up' for 'medicinal reasons,' stating that if the Trainer didn't let it out soon his head was going to explode. Paul proved surprisingly persuasive and ended up with a full account of the Friday night from Brock. Armed with evidence and sources, Drew and Paul successfully backed Ash into a corner and got him to state the obvious. They spent the next couple of days mercilessly crowing over him.

May and Dawn weren't far behind them, though they were somewhat subtler than their male counterparts. Though they spent less time with Ash than Drew and Paul they were just as observant, and what they saw in their old traveling companion only confirmed their deeply rooted suspicions. On Wednesday they made their way to the lunchroom, discussing the new developments.

'Ash really is as stupid as he seems,' May sighed. 'Honestly, I can't believe it's taken him this long to figure it out, but I can't help but feel sorry for him. He's looking positively pathetic this week.'

'Misty's starting to worry about him, but seriously, she's just as bad,' Dawn agreed. 'She was telling me yesterday that she thought Gary was finally starting to get to Ash. I wanted to tell her that somebody's getting to him all right, but it sure ain't Gary.'

'I know, Ash just need to get over himself and - '

'Well, look what the cat dragged in.'

May froze mid sentence and whirled around to face the source of the taunting voice.

'Well, look what the cat choked up,' she shot back venomously.

Drew smirked at his getting a reaction, though his eye twitched a little irritably. Behind him, Paul sighed in exasperation, avoiding Dawn's bold attempt to make eye contact.

'You ready for the Double Team League yet? I don't want to destroy you two months in a row, May, but I don't want to have to go easy on you either.'

May growled. 'Since I was the one who went easy on you last month and let you win, I think _you _should be the one that's worried.'

Drew patted her head patronizingly. 'Whatever you say, May,' he said in a sing song voice, ignoring her snarl and flinch. 'But speaking of the Double Team League, have you got a date for the dance yet? I mean, it's bad enough that you're going to lose but not even I would wish _that_ sort of humiliation on you.'

May turned beetroot red and was momentarily lost for words, but Dawn came loyally to her defense.

'And what about you, you cocky loser?' she demanded, blue eyes flashing. 'You going with _him _or what?' she scorned, indicating Paul.

'You two make quite the dream team,' she continued sarcastically, grinning wickedly. 'In fact, we came up with the perfect costume for you two in Appeal Practice today.'

May cackled, recovering her composure at the mere thought of the blow headed straight for Drew's manly ego. Unconsciously, Paul uncrossed his arms and turned to look at Dawn curiously, who met his eye and raised her eyebrows with a grin. He scoffed.

'Enlighten us,' he drawled coolly.

'Well, we think you two would be perfect as…the Beauty and the Beast!' Dawn stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

'Yeah, 'cause Drew, you can't keep away from a mirror and you flick your hair around more than any girl I know…' May taunted.

'…and because frankly, Paul, we've never seen a beast scarier than you,' Dawn finished, grinning triumphantly.

Paul flinched. 'Inspired,' he muttered icily, turning away.

'We think so,' Dawn snapped back, her tone equally chilly as she swallowed secret disappointment.

Drew, however, wasn't backing down that easily.

'Oh yeah?' he said hotly, glowering at May. 'Well we think you two are _made _to be the Ugly Sisters! Oh, and look May, you're already in costume!' He began to cackle bitterly.

May clenched her fists together, willing herself not to take a swing at him. She opened her mouth, a furious torrent of insults and rage streaming out.

It was at that moment that Ash entered the lunchroom with Misty at his side, and he couldn't repress a sigh of exasperation. His friends were behaving so typically. Drew was embroiled in a furious shouting match with May, his face inches from hers and clenched with fury. Paul, on the other hand, was staring off into the distance, the glacial silence between he and Dawn painfully obvious next to the war breaking out between the two Coordinators.

'Just look at them,' he said irritably, momentarily forgetting his own predicament in favor of glowering at his friends.

'Uhh, how long has this been going on?' Misty asked him in a low voice, gesturing towards the foursome.

Ash sighed, trying to devise a way of telling Misty the obvious about May and Drew without actually _telling _her.

'Well, May and Drew met when we were in Hoenn, and he managed to offend her within the first thirty seconds of their relationship. They argued every time they met…of course, it didn't help much that they were Contest rivals. But it did seem like they were getting better with each other – he gave her _roses,_ and he was sort of, well, _nice _to her without it seeming so.'

'Roses?' Misty cut in sharply.

'Yeah, like flowers,' Ash answered densely. Misty resisted the urge to smack him on the side of his head. 'Then May sort of _followed _him to Johto…_that_ was unexpected. He even turned up to see her Contest against Dawn! They seemed to get on for a while after coming here, but I think regular competition has brought the worst back out of them.'

Ash rolled his eyes. 'May killed Drew in the final of the first Intraschool Festival and she wouldn't shut up about it. Needless to say, things just went downhill from there. She got beaten out by him last month and now _he _won't shut about it.'

'Sounds like they've been too busy fighting to tell each other how they really feel,' Misty suggested shrewdly.

Ash cringed inwardly, sending a silent prayer pleading for mercy to whichever gods would answer him. 'Right,' he choked out. 'They're so threatened by each other that they won't admit it. But Dawn, she knew Paul when they were young. Apparently he didn't recognize her when they met…' Ash snickered, relaxing at the chance to steer the conversation to safer waters.

'Paul's a good actor. They never seemed to talk much when we were in Sinnoh but since we all ended up here it's been different between them. She and Paul don't even compete against each other, but she's always challenging him - Paul's never failed to scare someone off until he met Dawn. It's like she can see right through him, but it's always the same – she teases him, he offends her or downright ignores her, so she responds accordingly. It's getting a bit ridiculous, actually.'

Misty chuckled, stopping short with a wince when May's voice rose to a shriek.

'I would never have guessed that May was the sort of person to get riled up easily. Wow, was I wrong!'

Ash shook his head. 'I've never seen May loose her temper like that with anyone but Drew.'

Misty looked cynical. 'Really?' she asked disbelievingly.

'Hard to believe, given that now she explodes like a freakin' bomb if Drew comes within twenty feet of her!' He laughed in a strained voice, suddenly realizing that he needed to end this conversation _now_ before he himself freaked out and fled.

Misty laughed lightly, blissfully unaware of Ash's inner torment as she rolled her beautiful eyes. 'Guess we should go break the ice between Dawn and Paul…and break Drew and May up before they kill each other!'

'Uhhh, yeah,' Ash stuttered helplessly, tripping over his own feet as he led the way over to the feuding quartet.

May and Drew didn't seem to notice Ash and Misty approach – they were too busy getting in each other's faces. Dawn, however, was glad to see them – the silence between her and Paul had been unusually awkward. It had another, weightier meaning behind it, and it scared her a little.

'Hey guys,' she greeted them gratefully.

Paul gave Ash a little amused grimace behind Dawn's back, before noticing Misty was watching him like a hawk. He ignored her scrutiny and honored her with a cool nod.

'Hey Paul,' she greeted him, unfazed.

Ash suppressed a grin. Paul was losing his touch for intimidating people – or maybe Misty was just _better _at intimidating people.

Ash's little inward joke was interrupted when May took a furious step towards Drew, her hand raised. Dawn saw what was happening and made a frantic dive towards her friend, attempting to grab May's arm before it made contact with Drew's face.

May could barely think straight, she was seeing so much red. She had finally lost control, her frustration and confusion just boiling over. But somehow when she felt Dawn seize her arm she was jerked back to reality, and she turned to Drew, horror struck. What she saw in his face shocked her to the core.

She had not slapped Drew, but his expression was as stung as if she had.

Her insides froze, but his vulnerable expression had already disappeared behind the mask of rage.

'Very ladylike, May,' he taunted, his face contorting with fury.

But the fight had gone out of May. Her arms were limp in Dawn's grip, and she simply stared at him, feeling unexpectedly hurt and strangely betrayed that he had insulted her.

Again she saw him waver, the façade of bravado slipping dangerously. Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked away.

May was rooted to the spot as she watched him go, disbelief and shame flooding through her like ice.

Ash was not particularly well-versed in the intricacies of human nature, but even _he _could see that whatever was between May and Drew, had finally hit the fan. He gaped at the shell shocked May for a second before shooting Misty a grim look and legging it after Paul, who had already disappeared to search for their friend. Misty didn't need Ash to tell her what to do next. She and Dawn were already hustling May away from the interested crowd and toward the nearest ladies room.

Ash and Paul eventually found Drew hiding in the deserted Appeal Complex, leaning against the wall and staring up at the leaderboard headed by his own smug picture.

They knew Drew well enough not to push him to talk – they simply filled the wall space beside him and waited for him to speak.

Drew sighed deeply, his expression pained.

'She knows,' he said simply.

'Knows what?' Ash asked cautiously. There was no need to ask who 'she' was.

Drew looked down from May's shyly smiling picture on the leaderboard.

'She knows I like her,' he moaned.

Ash didn't comment that giving the girl you like roses was not the best way to conceal your feelings for her.

'Today, before she almost knocked my lights out, I just saw something in her face…she was angry alright, but she wasn't angry because I insulted her. She was angry _because_ she was angry. But then she tried to hit me, and I was just so shocked, and I think it must have shown on my face…' he trailed off in confusion. 'But _why? _She's never minded hating me…though she's never taken a swing at me like that…' Drew rubbed his face tiredly. 'I don't know what to do!'

Ash and Paul exchanged a glance.

'Well,' Paul said, choosing his words carefully. 'I wouldn't be so sure she _knows _you like her.' Drew looked puzzled. 'Maybe she knows now that you don't hate her as much as she thought you did, and that's going to take a while to sink in. But knowing that you like her? Well, girls are never sure of that 'til they hear it from your own mouth. And you _have _been sending her sort of mixed signals.' Ash nodded in agreement, feeling very wise.

'But I think that what you just said proves that May cares about you more than you think. If she was shocked that you were shocked that she wanted to hit you…well, that's a good sign, right?' Paul finished in an unusually encouraging voice.

'I guess,' Drew muttered, still looking dejected.

'Try easing up on the insults,' Ash advised. 'She knows now that you're not as badass as you make out to be -' Drew cracked a smile '- so try showing her a bit more of the nice Drew. Heck, you know no girl can resist you when you turn on the charm!'

Drew looked fractionally more hopeful. 'Thanks, guys,' he said gratefully, shoving Ash to show his appreciation. He was quiet for a moment, before laughing out loud. 'Who would have guessed it? Ash Ketchum giving _me_ advice on girls! Though you're one to talk about insulting the girl you like,' he grinned, elbowing his friend in the ribs.

'Misty and I are just friends!' Ash stated defensively.

'Who said anything about Misty?' Drew questioned innocently, before laughing. 'Come on, Ash, you can't back out of _that _one now. We've got Brock to back us up. But who knows? Maybe I'll get Paul and Dawn together one of these days!' Drew finished slyly, earning himself a glare from Paul.

'Whatever,' he dismissed, crossing his arms defensively.

Ash and Drew exchanged a glance, but the combination of the bell and Paul's dangerous expression stopped them from provoking him further.

*****

Over the next couple of days, Drew and May did something they had never done before. They ignored each other. They picked no fights, exchanged no insults, did no antagonizing. They each acted like the other didn't exist. Drew was panicking. He had no idea how to rectify the situation, but he was sure of one thing – he missed her attention.

May was bewildered and unhappy; she had hoped that the incident would be a step towards mending their tentative friendship, but it had only served to widen the breach between them.

The strange turn of events forged an unusual and surprising bond between Dawn and Paul. Paul was no Ash, and therefore not entirely clueless in the field of his own emotions – he'd been aware of the effect Dawn had on him for a surprisingly long time, and though it had initially alarmed him that he had developed a, well, _soft spot _for the girl, he'd eventually gotten used to the idea that Dawn could do things to him that no one else could. But doing something about it would involve admitting that he actually possessed full blown human emotions underneath that steely exterior, and that was something Paul was pretty sure he couldn't handle just yet.

However, that week brought a different side out in Dawn, something Paul had never had the chance to see before. Her sunny disposition seemed to wither under the weight of her worry for May's predicament, and Paul was disturbed to see that her usual smile and optimism had all but vanished when he passed her in the hallway. Dawn had been defying him since the day they met and it was rare that she let him see a moment of weakness, so Paul was shocked to discover that he found her unhappiness disturbed him. He'd hardly been aware that he could possess such selfless emotions.

So, one day as he passed a red faced May and a pale faced Dawn in the hallway, Paul was seized with the unexpected urge to _comfort _Dawn; to show that everything was going to be okay and that she wasn't the only one uncomfortable with the situation between May and Drew. Paul, world famous expert at ignoring people, actually managed to shoot her a somewhat grim glance with serious eyes, leaving Dawn standing staring after him in shock.

It happened again the next time they passed each other, this time in the lunchroom when May wasn't nearby, and yet again when they crossed paths on the way out of a classroom. It wasn't long before Paul was frequently going out of his way to acknowledge the fact of Dawn's existence. Paul found it an unexpected relief and soon found himself seeking her out for the chance to offer a cool nod and a hint of an encouraging smile, and these looks somehow bound them together as comrades in the war against awkwardness.

But Paul still wasn't satisfied – he found his eyes lingering on hers longer than necessary, and replaying her smiling responses long after she had passed. He had thought himself entirely in control of himself and the situation, but Paul was starting to realize that no girl had ever intrigued him quite like Dawn did. Though he denied it constantly to his friends, he ruefully admitted to himself that he really was crazy about her. He was secretly convinced that she wasn't quite as repulsed by him as she made out to be, but he had no idea what move to make next. He was hoping Drew and May would come to a truce sometime soon so he would have the chance to talk to her properly.

Dawn was thrilled that Paul was attempting to maintain their testy acquaintanceship despite their friend's rift. She was, of course, horrified that May and Drew's rivalry had come to such a strange and painful end, but she couldn't help feeling grateful that the situation gave them an excuse to communicate.

The situation between May and Drew made life awkward for Ash and Misty as well. They had talked about how to help the situation, but concluded it would be impossible to sort as long as both Coordinators insisted on avoiding each other so thoroughly. Ash shared Dawn's feelings on the rift – it gave him a solid subject to grasp when he talked to his best friend, and for a brief couple of minutes he would forget to blush and stutter as he and Misty stood on common ground.

Let it not be thought, however, that Gary Oak was inactive in all this drama. He'd watched Ash's initial fumbling with the greatest satisfaction, knowing his rival didn't handle _that _sort of pressure very well, but as the week progressed and Ash began to adjust to living with his little self discovery (with the help of May and Drew's argument) he realized that the time had come for the next part in his plan.

There were some advantages to possessing a near genius IQ, the lying skills of an international spy and the last name Oak, and he knew now was the time to employ them all. Gary had frequently cashed in on his status as the Headmaster's grandson before, and this, he considered, would be the pinnacle of his career. A few minutes spent simpering to Nurse Joy convinced her he needed to 'see' her computer, and as soon as her back was turned Gary got to work. It didn't take him long to get into the program that managed the random selection that determined daily opponents in Training matches. One little click and Gary's plan was a go, and no one was any the wiser.

Consequently, it came as no surprise when Gary strolled into Homeroom that Thursday with a walk dripping with swagger. Ash was already there, embroiled in an argument with Misty as to who had the better chance in the Double Team League, one from the rapidly diminishing list of subjects Ash felt comfortable broaching with his best friend.

'…and I have Gyarados, and it knows Fire _and _Lightening attacks, so I have the advantage!' Misty was crowing.

'No way!' Ash shot back. 'Gyarados might know more types of attacks but no one around here can beat Pikachu, right buddy?'

The little mouse flashed its victory pose. 'Pika Pika!'

'See?' Ash stuck his tongue out in an amazing display of maturity.

Misty struck a mock thoughtful pose, but her eyes gleamed with her approaching victory.

'True…' she mused theatrically. 'But what if you opponent sends out an Onix, just like Brock did all those years ago? You smart enough to deal with that?'

Ash flushed and he opened his mouth to retort a stubborn reply, but Gary beat him to it.

'Ashy-boy's getting smarter all right,' Gary smirked as he loomed over Ash. 'But not _that _smart. At this rate you'll be adding two and two and getting five by what, next year?'

'Shut up, Gary,' Ash replied hotly, but before Gary could mock his sad attempt at a comeback Misty butted in.

'Wow, I'm glad to see _you're _addition is so good, Gary – you're almost at first grade level,' she interrupted sarcastically, glaring at the obnoxious boy. She was keen to insult Gary even more than usual, provided as she was with the perfect chance to show Ash exactly what she thought of the arrogant young man.

Gary's attention immediately switched from Ash to Misty and he dropped the antagonizing attitude, his expression changing to something distinctly more flirtatious.

'If you were any good at math, sweetie, you'd realize that me plus _anyone_ equals awesome,' Gary purred, raising his eyebrow seductively. 'And anyone could be you, if you would just admit it.'

Misty scoffed. 'That sounds like something Brock would come out with, and that's no compliment, Gary-boy,' she smirked.

'But you like it, don't you, gorgeous?'

Misty snorted derisively. 'As I've said many, many times before, I'd like it if you fell off a cliff.' She cocked her head to the side. 'You'd look better as Gyarados bait than as a human. Actually, I think we could arrange that, right Ash?' she laughed.

'Ash?'

He was staring at her with a rather odd expression. Misty forgot to be irritated with the fact that he clearly hadn't been listening to her triumphant verbal sparring match with Gary; she was so caught in his unexpected reaction. He was struggling with a sentence and Misty waited impatiently for him to spit it out, oddly anxious to discover what it was that was bothering him. It was rare that Ash was lost for words, and the churning in her stomach told her something definitely wasn't right.

'Are you..._arguing_ with him?' he eventually said in a strangled voice.

Beside Ash, Gary broke out into a round of malicious cackles that he didn't bother to conceal. He said a little silent prayer of thanks that his rival was so dim when it came to matters of the heart, for his ignorance made him impossible easy to dupe.

For a second Misty was so taken aback that she didn't make the connection.

'Yeah, I mean – no!' she gasped as she finally understood the inflections of Ash's words.

'I mean, we weren't _arguing, _we were just - '

'Yes, we were,' Gary cut in smoothly.

'No, we weren't!' Misty shot back.

'But we were,' Gary insisted in an antagonizing voice, crossing his arms.

'NO WE – AARRGGHH!!' she shrieked much louder than she had intended, her temper getting the best of her. Aware of the stares, she dropped her voice to an angry hiss. 'I'm not going to do this with _you_!'

'Then who _do _you want to argue with, gorgeous?' Gary chuckled in a low voice.

Misty's blush skipped red and went straight to purple, and though she tried to resist the urge she couldn't help glancing at Ash in mortification.

Gary let out another cackle of triumphant laughter, and the sound sent a shiver up Misty's spine. Spectacularly blanking Ash, he gave Misty a casual wave.

'Farewell, gorgeous, until we meet again,' he smirked.

'Yeah, get lost, Gary,' Ash snarled. Though the significance of Gary's last comment had entirely escaped him, Gary had upset Misty and that was more than enough to justify his leaving.

Gary waved sarcastically and sauntered over to his own seat. Ash glared viciously after his rival, wishing he could rewind the clock back to just a few minutes ago, when he and Misty were enjoying a perfectly good argument about the Double Team League without a care in the world.

*****

Misty was famous for her hot headed temper, and she would freely admit that she did harbor a _slight_ tendency to blow up over seemingly trivial matters (like a certain someone calling her scrawny or a runt) and get unnecessarily violent. In this case though, Misty felt she was fully justified in spending the entire morning seething with anger.

After Gary had wandered away so brashly, Misty had been left with nothing but an awkward silence and an even more awkward best friend. Ash had mumbled something incoherent before disappearing behind his _Pokemon Habits and Habitats _text book and failed to speak to her all through class. The silence had persisted all the way to the Battle Complex and they had parted with little more than mumblings from either side, each ducking their head to hide their faces flushed with embarrassment.

Needless to say, by the time she'd made it to Ice Field Four for her first battle practice without killing anyone, Misty _really _needed to blow off some steam.

Her first opponent, a fairly competent and distinctly overconfident junior whose battle style was eerily similar to a certain Champion Ash Ketchum's, had physically reeled at the sight of her expression as they shook hands before the match – and it turned out that he had an excellent reason to worry. Misty took a second to consider how much of an impression Ash had made on so many of the students at Pokemon High, and how desperate this kid clearly was to be just like him, and spared a moment for a fond smile. Then she'd proceeded to destroy her opponent.

It was almost embarrassing, really, though the boy took it well she had resisted the urge to apologize before he walked away. Her steaming anger had lessened somewhat after that.

In fact, by the time she found herself trudging over to one of the Normal Fields for her second and last battle of the day, Misty was worn out. She'd been hiding her life-changing, soul-wrenching love for Ash for years and years and _years, _and had long been tired of carrying that burden in secret. There had been many, many times, in the depth of the night, where she would stare out of her bedroom window at the moon drenched trees and pray to any gods that would listen for her love just to vanish so she could look at her best friend and smile without pain, or laugh without worry. But even as she'd wished and begged and sighed and berated herself for being so foolish when she was younger by _letting _herself love him, she had known it was useless. She was fated to love Ash Ketchum, and nothing she could ever say or do or think would change that.

But she dealt with it. She lived with it, just as she'd promised herself she would all those years ago when she'd first realized that what she felt for her raven haired best friend went way beyond the limits of friendship. What other choice did she have, other than to lose him for good? And as she loved him, she was at least comforted to be with him and to have him near so much after all the years apart. But having her struggle openly mocked by Gary was the cruelest sort of torture. It was so unfair, Misty thought bitterly as she dragged herself through the surging crowds of students moving between the different Training Fields. She was so _angry _with Gary for making such a fool of her and for doing such damage to her friendship with Ash, but at that moment, she would have happily sank to the floor and burst into tears.

As she weaved between the milling students towards her destination, she quickly decided to finish her second battle as fast as possible, and find a quiet bathroom to compose herself before lunch. That idea was blown spectacularly out of the water when she noticed who was waiting for her by Normal Field One.

Gary really was delighted to see how well his little plan had worked out. The system chose opponents at random and he knew Misty was a lot more likely to be suspicious of foul play if they faced each other twice within a short space of time, so it worked entirely to his advantage that he had yet to face her in a Training Battle. Gary justified the entire scheme on that one little fact – he had been bound to face her eventually. His little tweak of the computer system had just…sped things up a little.

However, right now he was too entertained by the horrified look on Misty's face to find the time to congratulate himself on his own cleverness.

'You!' she cried in outrage, clearly unable to articulate her emotions any further.

'Oh Gary, how nice to see you,' he mimicked in a high pitched voice. 'Hello to you too, princess,' he added, just a hint of sourness creeping into his confident tone. He hated to admit it, even to himself, but Gary was getting a _little _fed up with Misty's stubborn refusal to be charmed by him. Of course, he didn't spare a thought for his own dishonest double interest in her. He was just so used to having girls throw themselves at his feet that meeting one so fiery and so totally unaffected by him was almost…disconcerting.

Misty, on the other hand, was momentarily distracted from her approaching temper explosion by despairing over her entire sex, as she failed to see how any hot blooded person could stand to be _near_ Gary. She also knew that provoking him was not going to help her cause of getting rid of him, for she knew that Gary was uncannily like Ash in one respect – he never backed down from a challenge. _Ever._

So she fought to control her temper as he stepped towards her, his expression slipping back into its default smirk as he eyed her with unfailing triumph. He didn't look at all surprised to see her.

'Good to see you're starting to get a grip on that temper, gorgeous. I wouldn't want to see you lose your control in front of Ashy – never know, you might let a certain secret slip…'

'Can we leave Ash out of this?' Misty snapped. 'He's got nothing to do with our battle, thank you very much. Is three on three okay? I'd like to get this thing going, cause I can't wait to kick your ass.'

Gary chuckled languidly. 'Not so fast, pretty lady. I have a proposition for you.'

'Not interested,' Misty said dismissively and made to turn away.

'Oh but Misty…did I mention it concerns your precious Ashy? And my, ah, _ability _to keep your little secret?'

Misty stopped dead, and her eyes were dark with rage as she turned back to face Gary, hating him. 'I thought you were above the likes of blackmail, Gary. I should have known better. Lowlifes like you don't have far to go before they hit rock bottom anyway.'

Gary's eyes flashed briefly with irritation at her provocative words but Misty was far too busy trying to contain the molten panic creeping through her insides and binding her in a vice-like grip to notice. By the time she could focus on his face again, he was smirking, as usual.

'That got you interested, didn't it? Just mention _dear _old Ash's name and you're there. Your faithfulness is touching.'

Misty fought the urge to slap Gary's face as she clenched her fists, her lip curling as she eyed him with untainted contempt. 'What do you want from me, Gary?' she spat. 'It's not me you want, I know that, and even if you did, I'd never be that stupid. So what is it, huh? What is it that you want from me that will give you one over on Ash?'

'You're smarter than you look, Misty,' Gary murmured smoothly, 'and smarter than Ashy-boy. You probably possess double his brain cells, at a guess. But let's not go into that, I know it upsets you.' Gary smirked wickedly. 'Here's the deal, Miss Misty. You win the battle, and I'll keep your little secret…for the moment.'

The panic threatened to creep up her throat and choke her where she stood, but with an enormous effort she stayed firm. 'And if I lose?' she asked levelly.

Gary didn't miss a beat. 'You go to the dance with me.'

Misty snorted. 'No can do, loser – I'm already going with Ash. Remember our little chat in the hallway?' she mocked.

Gary exhaled contemptuously. 'So?'

'Well, I can't exactly dump Ash to go with you, can I?' Misty explained with a maddening air of someone explaining two plus two equals four to a testy five year old.

Gary snorted, raising an eyebrow, and the words died in Misty's throat as she finally caught onto what Gary was aiming for. 'That's the idea, gorgeous,' Gary replied, his tone patronizingly mocking. 'Guess you'll just have to blow him off. Sorry.'

The panic seeped into her tone, unchecked, as she tried to process the horror she was facing.

'What?! No way!' she shot back. 'I can't do that to Ash!'

Gary shrugged idly, raising his palms in a gesture of defeat. 'Fine, if that's the way you want to play it. Go ahead and go with Ash, for all I care. Just don't expect him to be dancing with you. He'll probably be too busy trying to hide once he finds out his best friend is _in love_ with him.'

Misty opened her mouth to reply in her own defense but she had nothing to say. Her face flamed and her eyes dropped to the floor, humiliated.

'I thought so,' Gary purred, his voice low and dangerous.

Misty fought off tears as she tried to think quickly. Gary was and always had been both a talented and extremely skilled Trainer. His confidence was at an all time high, thanks to his defeat of Ash, but she was a Gym Leader after all, and the more she thought about it she was convinced she had a real chance at beating him.

On the other hand, if she _did_ lose there was still something she could do to stop Ash from hating her for leaving him. All she'd have to do was _tell _Ash about this whole stupid bet, conveniently leaving out what secret it was that Gary was threatening to spill, and that at least would explain why she was going with Gary instead of him. As long as she could persuade Ash to keep his head and not challenge Gary on the matter, there would be no reason for the slimy creep to spill her secret. He'd get what he wanted, which was one over Ash. Though it meant sacrificing her dream come true of an evening, at least she would get to keep her best friend.

Misty swallowed hard. 'Fine,' she bit out. 'You're on, Gary, and I'll be sure to get a front row seat when this backfires in your face. Three on three?'

Gary chuckled softly. 'One more thing, gorgeous. This _entire _arrangement had to be a secret. No one can know – not your little friends, or your bimbo sisters, and especially not Ashy boy. Got it?'

Misty felt her stomach crunch with agony. 'But…but…' she stuttered in terror.

Gary smiled in satisfaction. 'It's a win-win situation, gorgeous. I get you for the dance, you get to keep your secret and little Ashy remains in the dark, where he belongs.'

Misty felt hot tears stinging behind her eyes but she blinked them back furiously. 'I'd hardly call that a win-win,' she snarled, taking a step towards him menacingly. 'You get a hold over Ash while I blow the only chance I may ever have with him while leaving him to think I chose _you _over him!'

Gary cocked his head to the side, stroking his chin in mock thoughtfulness. 'You know, now that you mention it, it's pretty much just good for me.' He shrugged. 'Sorry.'

'You can't do this to me!' Misty cried. 'I'm going to tell someone – Ash, or Professor Oak, or May and Dawn, or -'

'And have your dirty little secret bared to the world and all that exist in it? Endure Ash avoiding you in the hall or even worse, looking at you with _disgust _while he wonders how he could ever have been friends with someone so pathetic?'

'_I am not pathetic,_' Misty gasped, her eyes stinging.

'Wherever you go you'll have to bear the hushed whispers of people talking behind your back, swapping rumors about how you threw yourself at his feet and he rejected you, or whatever worse stories the gossip monsters will come up with. It'll be all over the school and the internet within a day – people will brand you a loser, a freak, an outcast who risked everything on a gamble and lost. You can't win against me, Misty. No one can.' He smiled crookedly. 'Not even Ashy-boy.'

Misty was silent for a moment, staring at him with such pure, unadulterated hatred that he actually flinched, and then she made her move.

'Fine, Gary. I'll accept your little challenge, your little bargain, for as you've been so kind as to point out, I have no choice.' She moved closer, eyes blazing blue fire. 'But I tell you this for free, Gary Oak – you may have won this battle, and you may win the next one if you deserve your reputation as a Trainer, but this is a war, and I promise you, I will take you down for this before it's over. I said it to your sister and I'll say it to you – you have no idea who you're dealing with. Nothing on this earth can keep me from Ash – not you, not your sister, and certainly not this little wager. So watch your back, Gary. You'll regret this, I promise you.'

And with that, she turned on her heel, tossed her hair in his face and stalked towards the red Trainer platform.

*****

Wooo, finished! So, will Misty be able to win the battle? What will Ash do if she doesn't? Will Gary ever stop being such an obnoxious jerk? Find out soon :D

Review, merci, and I will love you. I need to get this story kick started yet again, so I could do with some reader encouragement.

_**Review Replies:**_

I hope I have made it clear how much your input is appreciated. This story would no longer exist without you all, and I cannot thank you enough for sticking through about seventy thousand words with me. I published stuff for Kingdom Hearts recently and the lack of reviews I received only made me more thankful for you all. Clearly Pokemon readers, particularly Pokeshippers, are the best :D Thank you so much, I love you all!


	14. Now Or Never

Hey people….

First of all, I want to offer you all my sincerest apologies (I'm getting déjà vu as I write this, something tells me I've apologized for this crime before…) for taking so hideously long to update. I think every writer on has cited this excuse at least once and I'm sure you think it's lame, but…writers block got me. _Bad. _It was horrible, really – I knew people were waiting but I just couldn't get this right no matter what I did. I developed something of a mental block towards this chapter, for absolutely no apparent reason, though battle scenes usually come pretty easily to me. I just couldn't seem to get a grip on the emotions involved. And then one day it just started agreeing with me again, and within a few days this thing was complete. Stupid, contrary story. Anyway, I hope you think it's worth the wait – I am actually really pleased with how this came out.

Oh, and since he so rudely demanded an introduction, as if it was his right to be mentioned or something, it is with great reluctance that I introduce my super official beta/PM stalker/frenemy (wow, I can't believe I just used that word) **Texas Longhorn**, who sort of might have helped me just a bit with his chapter. But I helped him a lot more with his and if he tells you otherwise, he is lying. He does that a lot, like when he tells people his story _A New Journey _is better than this story. I have suggested he seek professional help as he is clearly deluding himself. It's sad, really :P

And now I'm sure you being bored to death with my insanely long Author's note, so let's begin :) enjoy!

Chapter Fourteen: Now Or Never

Misty stalked up the steps to the trainer platform without a tremor, her hands clasped firmly together so they would not betray her in their weakness. The heady rush of adrenaline that always came with confrontation was beginning to fade, taking with it the anger that had seethed so heatedly through her veins. Misty clung to the last shreds of her own fury as it slipped through her fingers, suffocated by fear. She needed that anger. Without it she was left with nothing but icy dread seeping from the cold weight of despair that had settled with such finality inside her. Without anger, there was nothing left to protect her from Gary.

Misty settled her hands on the metal bar in front of her, her shaking fingers tightening hastily around the cool, solid surface as she endeavored to appear composed. He was already ascending the opposing platform and it would not do to look afraid.

Misty could hardly believe that Gary could be so cruel as to force her into this situation – and at the same time, she utterly could.

She couldn't lose this one. She just _couldn't. _Misty was no stranger to competitive Pokemon battling but she'd never wanted to win anything so intensely in her entire life. Nausea clawed at her stomach as she contemplated the cost of loosing with clouded detachment. Lose this and she would lose everything.

Ash would be devastated at her betrayal. There was no hope that he would ever guess or discover the real reason for her abandonment, not after she had aided his lies so enthusiastically back when Gary had tried to ask her first. He would have to endure yet more public humiliation as his best friend apparently dumped him for his biggest rival, and after all the torment he had received at Gary's hand since losing to him, it would not be long before he cracked under the strain. But worst of all he would be hurt. Crushed that she could possibly, after almost eight years of friendship, treat him so callously. He would never forgive her.

Misty felt hot tears stab unfeelingly at the back of her eyes as she tried not to think about hurting Ash that much. It was one thing to endure agony herself, for his sake, but it was another to think about forcing him to bear such pain and censure. It wasn't fair. He had so much to deal with at the moment anyway; his own unbeaten record smashed in an unfair battle and enduring his defeater's constant, mortifying, overtly public crowing. This would be the last straw.

But what choice did she have? She knew that if she had not agreed to this wager, Gary would not hesitate in carrying out his threat. And that could never be. Ash could never know her secret. For though she was condemning him to certain pain and mortification if she lost, it was nothing to the horror he would suffer if he found out the depths of her emotions. Ash, faithful and true to the end, yet utterly innocent, would have been aghast to discover that his best friend could mutilate and destroy their relationship by allowing herself to feel such things.

He would hate her either way. Their friendship was over. At least this way, he would hate her for the wrong reason. And Misty thought she might just be able to survive that.

Misty gave no thought to the agony that was certain to be hers if she lost, though she did wryly acknowledge that if she were to fail she would at least suffer more than her precious Ash. Losing him, who was everything to her, would leave her desolate and broken, perhaps for good.

She would have borne it. She would have borne the public condemnation that her own feelings would have brought upon her, just as Gary threatened – if it meant Ash would hurt less. But she knew him better than that. His world would falter in the sight of such soul wrenching emotions, and he would turn away from her. And either way it was not the opinions of the public that gave her cause for fear. It was the torture his certain disgust, or fear, or horror would inflict upon her; a steely knife blade of anguish that had always been carved with her name.

Misty was blank, her face motionless as her hands reached for her Pokeballs almost without her command. She reached automatically for her favorite, deciding vaguely that she was going to need all the fire power she could get.

She froze as her fingers touched the familiar curved surface for the second time that day.

Misty had committed the cardinal sin of practice battling. In her earlier fire of rage she had been foolish enough to send Gyarados out as her first Pokemon, and her powerful half Flying type had proceeded to defeat its three opponents single handedly. Gyarados had survived the last battle but its skirmish with her opponent's most powerful Pokemon, a Venosaur, had left it wavering. She'd hardly given it a second thought earlier, distracted and furious as she had been, but now the cold oppression of her rash decision came back to haunt her. She was now left facing the most important battle of her life without her best and most versatile Pokemon.

Misty cursed her own pride and her own fiery temper that had prompted such an imprudent move as a Trainer, and her legs quaked unsteadily beneath her.

Breathe, she tried to tell herself, her internal voice echoing weakly around her head. Get a grip on yourself. You can still win this.

Misty thought about Ash. She thought about how much she loved him, and how much it had hurt all these years, keeping such a secret. She thought about how happy she had been traveling with him so long ago and how she had been even happier since their reunion at Pokemon High. She thought about his smile, his laugh, the light that gleamed in his eyes as he battled and the blush that had bloomed as he told her how much he enjoyed her show. She thought about the moment when all this had begun – when he had put himself out there to save her from being forced into going to the dance with Gary. She thought about her reputation not only as a Gym Leader and a Water Trainer but for her indomitable determination and infamous refusal to back down from any challenge, ever. And as she stared coldly at Gary's silently smirking face, she thought about her spiky-haired adversary, and his intentions to destroy Ash's life and make her beloved miserable.

The blood began pounding in her head as her hand reached for a Pokeball.

'Starmie, go!' Misty shouted, breaking the long disquiet, flinging the Pokeball out onto the dry, dusty surface of the battle field.

Gary smirked at her visible fury. 'Umbreon, go!' he retaliated, lazily tossing his favorite Pokeball out in front of him.

Misty cursed under her breath, the heat of her assurance that determination would carry her through dampening immediately. She should have remembered that Starmie was a half Psychic type, and though she'd never trained it to use any of its extrasensory abilities, it was still vulnerable to Umbreon'sDark attacks.

Gary's first move was evidence that he knew this as well as she did.

'Umbreon, Shadow Ball!' he shouted.

'Starmie, dodge it and then counter with Tackle!' Misty snapped back, willing herself to get a hold before her rash temper lost this match.

Her command came just in time. Starmie barely managed to launch itself into the air before the glowing purple ball of dark energy struck the ground where it had stood. But Umbreon was just as quick, recovering from the use of the attack with enough speed to dodge Starmie's Tackle when Gary called on it to use its Agility.

Misty gritted her teeth as Starmie dropped back into its original position opposite Umbreon, both Pokemon panting slightly from the strain of the pointless attacks.

'Starmie, Swift Attack!' Misty tried next.

Starmie responded instantly, emitting a stream of glittering white stars from its pink central jewel core and sending them straight for Umbreon.

'Double Team, Umbreon!'

Misty gasped as Umbreon unleashed the most powerful Double Team she'd ever seen. A whole pack of Umbreon materialized instantly on the field, surrounding Starmie in a threatening circle. The river of damage dealing stars stuttered and failed as Starmie panicked, under the impression that it was suddenly outnumbered twenty to one.

Misty thought quickly. How to counter a Double Team?

'Starmie, use Rapid Spin!' she shouted.

Starmie seemed to gain focus under the order of a direct command and threw itself into the twirling Rapid Spin attack, revolving its body so quickly that its ten spiky limbs became a blur of violet action. Misty relaxed a little as she saw her strategy was working. Starmie's superior speed meant that within seconds each illusion had dissipated, destroyed when it came into contact with the attack, leaving the real Umbreon open and vulnerable.

'Umbreon!' Gary shouted instinctively as the Dark Type was thrown backwards under force of the Rapid Spin.

'Starmie, Water Gun!' Misty shouted, pressing her momentary advantage. She reasoned that an attack which didn't involve physical contact between the two Pokemon was probably a safer move – she didn't want Starmie suffering any unnecessary damage.

But Starmie was still righting itself after the use of such a draining attack, and the few seconds it needed gave Umbreon the time to struggle back to its feet.

'Umbreon, Moonlight!'

Misty watched in amazement as the Dark Type threw back its head, absorbing the flickering gold sparks that suddenly surrounded it. Umbreon's coat glowed briefly as its yellow rings flashed, and it turned to glare at Starmie with its sharp red eyes clear, avoiding the admittedly weak stream of water with ease.

'Umbreon, Skull Bash!'

Misty's throat went dry as Umbreon surged forward, lowering its gleaming skull as it built momentum for the attack.

'Starmie, use Double Edge!' she shouted.

Starmie had sufficiently recovered from the tiring Rapid Spin now and, without another word from Misty, sprung towards the charging Umbreon with its extremities glowing yellow gold as they tensed for the coming collision.

Starmie's superior aerial agility allowed it to angle its more powerful attack so that instead of meeting Umbreon head on, its strengthened limbs came down hard upon Umbreon's exposed back, sending the Dark Type sailing backwards.

Misty suddenly remembered that though Umbreon had used Moonlight to regenerate itself, the particular self-healing move was a lot less effective in broad daylight than it was on a moonlit night. Umbreon had only managed to partially recharge itself.

Misty saw her chance to seize the upper hand.

'Starmie, use Water Gun again!' she called, hoping the tension wasn't too evident in her voice.

Starmie was tiring rapidly, particularly from the strain of the last attack, but it responded as quickly as it possibly could, emitting a jet of water from the vertical spike above its middle core. Umbreon, preoccupied with the task of struggling to its feet, failed to see the attack coming, and the canine Pokemon crumbled to the ground again. It didn't stir.

Misty released the breath she hadn't known she was holding, clutching the supportive metal bar in front of her as she absorbed a heady wave of near hysteria. She'd won. She'd actually won the first round, even at a type disadvantage.

She wished momentarily that they were allowed to recall Pokemon for a rest during practice battles as she eyed her weary battle partner. She remembered all too well how the strategy had worked to Ash's advantage when he'd done it with Tauros during his battle for the Orange League Champion title. A faint smile crept unknowingly onto Misty's face. Ash. He was always cropping up in her thoughts, no matter where she was or what she was doing.

Cold dread clenched her insides as the reason she was fighting so hard came tumbling back down upon her and she slowly raised her head, stony faced, to look at Gary. He was smiling almost pleasantly, not looking at all perturbed when he casually recalled his unconscious Pokemon.

'Nice job, sweetie,' he said calmly. 'You won the first round.'

He scoffed as he withdrew his second Pokeball, spinning it effortlessly between his fingers. 'Let's see how much longer you can hold out against me.'

'Bring it, Gary,' Misty snarled, the rage at her degrading position rising rapidly. 'I'll take your best shot, so then when I beat you I'll know I'm truly better than you.'

Gary grinned, as if he found her rudeness amusing in some way. But before she could demand an explanation for his snigger he lobbed his second Pokeball of the day into the field below.

'Blastoise, go!' he shouted, as the large turtle Pokemon appeared in a flash of red light, bellowing threateningly.

Misty paused, momentarily wrong-footed. She cocked her head to the side as she stared at Gary's oldest Pokemon. There was nothing specifically _wrong_ with Gary's choice – Blastoise was an experienced and powerful Pokemon, if she remembered its Silver Conference battle with Charizard correctly, and there was no way her tired Starmie could defeat such an opponent. But given her reputation as an all out Water Trainer, it seemed a little unusual that he should pick a same-type Pokemon to battle her. Challengers usually tried to capitalize on her Pokemon's well known weaknesses in their choice of Pokemon – it was rare she actually faced a Water Type.

Misty's temper flared as she hit on the most obvious reason. Gary must be trying to prove he knew more about Water Pokemon and thus made a better Water Pokemon Trainer. Well, she'd show him. She hadn't grown up in the Cerulean Gym for nothing.

'Get ready, Starmie!' Misty shouted, her nerves tingling. 'Swift Attack, now!'

'Blastoise, counter with Water Gun,' Gary retaliated lazily.

A fountain of water immediately burst from the two steel tipped water guns atop Blastoise's shoulders, and the jets of water collided mid-air with Starmie's starry Swift. Both attacks refracted under the force of the other, Starmie's Swift blasting out to Misty's right and Blastoise's Water Gun to the left, soaking a nearby trainer and his distressed Jigglypuff.

Misty breathed a sigh of relief. Although Starmie's own attack hadn't managed to cause any damage, she was happy her Pokemon had escaped the force of the Water Gun. She'd certainly been right about Blastoise's power.

'Blastoise, Rapid Spin!' Gary called.

Misty bit her lip nervously. This was something she hadn't considered when she'd questioned Gary's choice of Pokemon. Blastoise held an obvious and considerable size and strength advantage. It was clear that Gary was going to use that to finish her physically weakened Pokémon, instead of specialized Type attacks. She feared Starmie wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.

'Starmie, dodge it!' she cried urgently as Blastoise lunged forward, withdrawing its limbs into its shell and spinning into a destructive cyclone.

For the first time that day, Starmie did not respond. It stood motionless, quivering slightly under the strain of some unknown effort as its inner core began to glow a deep, purplish magenta Misty had never seen before. It made no indication that it knew inevitable destruction was almost upon it as Blastoise approached.

'Starmie!' Misty gasped in desperation as she cursed her own over-competitive nature.

I should have recalled Starmie, she thought frantically. I shouldn't have pushed it so far, I'm one battle up and there's no reason for me to be so cruel –

Misty blinked rapidly, her train of thought coming to a stuttering halt as she watched the startling events unfold on the field before her eyes. Blastoise was still spinning as it continued its attack, but instead of gaining speed and momentum, it seemed to be slowing down, its circular motion becoming oddly stiff, as if hindered by some invisible force. Misty stared, wondering wildly if she was seeing things, but it was unmistakable – the closer Blastoise came to Starmie the slower it moved. The lessening centrifugal force made Blastoise's limp limbs slip out of its protective shell, a frosty blue force field enveloping its body like a cloak.

Starmie twitched and Blastoise rose helplessly high into the air, bellowing as it writhed in agony and struggled for freedom. Misty stared from the trapped Blastoise to her straining Starmie and finally understood.

'Starmie!' she gasped as her Water Type trembled, its core beginning to blink and glimmer like an ambulance light. Pride and hope swelled like a balloon in her chest as she gaped at her Pokemon, trying to grasp the enormity of the event. Starmie had learned _Psychic _for her! All by itself, right when she needed it the most! She gazed fondly at her oldest friend, a sudden rush of affection melting the nerves and fury of the battle.

Misty snuck a glance at her opponent. Gary was staring intently at Blastoise, who was still suspended twenty feet in the air, his face carefully devoid of expression. Misty rejoiced, choosing to interpret Gary's smooth, blank look as shock, faltering confidence, self doubt, grudging admiration, and other entirely un-Gary emotions.

And just as suddenly as it had begun, it was over. Starmie staggered as it struggled with exhaustion, and its momentary falter freed Blastoise from the confines of the attack instantly. As the shellfish Pokemon careened towards earth and met the ground with a terrific crash, Starmie keeled over backwards in a dead faint, its inner core continuing to flash feebly.

Misty didn't hesitate, throwing all the rules of Trainer conduct and self control out the window. She leapt over the rail of the Trainer's platform, and pounded up the dust of the battle field as she raced over to her fallen Pokemon.

'Starmie, I'm so proud of you,' she whispered as she cradled her dazed friend in her arms. 'You learned Psychic for me. You did awesome, my friend. Take a good long rest, cause you totally outdid yourself today.' And with a final, gentle hug Misty reached for the Pokeball on the belt of her skirt and recalled one of her oldest friends.

Misty rose smoothly and pointedly avoided looking at Gary. Instead of attempting to scale the front of the Trainer platform like a Mankey in a tree (she wasn't about to try _that _in front of Gary Oak – especially not in a skirt) she marched around and mounted the ladder to the top of the platform. She felt another giddy burst of pride as she dwelt on the events of the past battle, the happy recollections dissolving the stress and stakes of the wager. She could barely grasp the fact that she now owned and trained a Pokemon with competent Psychic abilities (Psyduck didn't fit into that category), and she could hardly remember the last time she was so pleased with one of her Pokemon.

However, when she gazed down into the field and saw that Blastoise had struggled to its feet, the weight of the stakes came crashing down upon her once more. Pride and delight in her Pokemon would have to wait. She had a battle to win.

'Corsola, go!' she cried. Her tough little half-Rock Pokemon materialized in a flash, its pale pink upper body glowing deep red in the Pokeball's flash.

'Spike Cannon, now!' she called, attempting to seize the offensive advantage over the tired Blastoise.

'Blastoise, Withdraw!' Gary shouted a little too quickly for his cool demeanor, causing Misty to smirk. She couldn't help feeling a little smug now, sure she had rattled Gary's cage a little. Seconds later though, she was left growling as Corsola's glowing white spikes ricocheted uselessly off Blastoise's diamond hard shell.

I should have seen that coming, she thought in chagrin. Shaking the thought, she tried again as Corsola cried out indignantly.

'Bubblebeam, Corsola!' she shouted as Blastoise began to unwrap itself from its shell. Corsola squeaked its approval, emitting a powerful stream of multicolored bubbles aimed at Blastoise's head.

'Blastoise, avoid the attack and use Hydro Cannon!' Gary shouted back.

Misty froze. Did he just say what I thought he said? She thought numbly. But Blastoise was powering up, and after barely dodging the painful stream of Corsola's attack, it drew itself up and unleashed two jets of curling water from its cannons, roaring from the strain.

Misty's mouth dropped open as she watched her enemy prepare its attack, and she had the sudden, wonderful urge to laugh. _How _could Gary, big shot Pokemon Trainer and boastful researcher extraordinaire, make such a fumbling, foolish, _amateur _mistake? Even the overzealous ten year olds that had once set out on the road with nothing but a starter level Pokemon and six empty Pokeballs knew that a key part of success as a Pokemon Trainer was to know your opponent's Pokemon's attacks and defenses, and prepare your own offensive and defensive accordingly. And Gary, who had spent the last three years and however many months researching Pokemon and their abilities, had clearly forgotten either this key rule or one of Corsola's signature moves.

Misty's smirk widened as she saw her opponent's defeat in her minds eye as clearly as if it was unfolding at that very moment. Gary had directed Blatoise to use its most powerful move, its special, a maneuver that guaranteed the destruction of its opponent – but at a cost. Blastoise would have to rest and recover after its use, leaving it vulnerable to attacks. And of course, Hydro Cannon would only succeed in taking down Corsola if the attack could _reach _it.

'Corsola, switch to Mirror Coat!' Misty said clearly, the glee ringing clearly in her voice as she anticipated the final stroke.

Corsola responded, its face twisted in concentration as it raised its arms and began to glow a pale, yellow gold. The torrent of undulating water blasted against the protective shield with a deafening crack, the jet changing directions as suddenly as if it had hit a brick wall.

Forced back under the power of the Mirror Coat, the water surged back towards Blastoise. Caught unawares and sapped of energy from the tumult of battle, Blastoise was engulfed in the swell of water and crashed to the ground, defeated.

Misty felt a heady thrill wash over her as she watched Gary recall his unconscious Pokémon. His face was still perfectly smooth ashe stared with unsettling intensity. She glared back, her eyes dark with satisfaction. Gary really should have known that Corsola could perform Mirror Coat, Misty thought smugly – she couldn't help wondering if he'd known or remembered Corsola's attack and simply taken a heavy risk in the heat of battle, or if that little part of Corsola's impressive arsenal had escaped him. But if he had known, why did he command Blastoise to execute an attack that was known to drain the user's strength immediately? Misty cackled to herself triumphantly. Gary might call himself a researcher but she still knew more about Water Pokemon than he did.

Hope swelled quickly in her chest as she ran the battle over in her head. Gary had just one more Pokemon, and her Corsola was still fresh. It was two to one, she realized, relief seeping through her tense limbs like hot liquid. There was no way she could lose this one now. Gary would have to stay true to his word and keep her secret – she'd make sure of that – and Ash would be hers for the keeping.

Misty stared confidently over at her suspiciously quiet opponent, the silence between them dripping with her victorious gloating. She felt invincible and vindictively smug; victory so close she could almost taste it. She'd done it. She'd won. She'd shown Gary she wasn't afraid to back down, and she was sure the underhanded prick would think twice about tangling with her again. And most importantly, she'd protected Ash when it mattered the most.

And then she caught sight of the gleam in Gary's eye as he fingered his last Pokeball, and her triumphant mood evaporated instantly, stony dread crunching into her stomach.

Gary's expression was positively dangerous.

As Gary raised his hand Misty leaned forward, seized with a sudden, threatening premonition of doom. She had to know what it was that was in that Pokeball which made her adversary so calm, collected, and clearly confident.

'Pokeball, go!'

The blinding flash of red cleared and Misty froze, her stomach twisting painfully as icy realization swept over her.

An Electivire.

Misty wanted to slap herself for being so cocky and stupid. She'd had no idea that Gary possessed such a powerful Electric Type Pokemon, and she could only surmise that he had obtained it in the years following his clash with Ash at the Silver Conference, which had been the last time she'd seen him before arriving at Pokemon High.

Misty's Pokemon were well-used to going up against Electric or Grass Types. Indeed, they were all her Pokemon ever seemed to face in Gym battles; as most amateur trainers assumed the only thing needed to beat the famed Water Leader of the Cerulean City Gym was a starter level Bulbasaur or Pikachu. Though it usually took but a few short and painful minutes to correct them of that foolish assumption, she doubted it would be that easy against a fully-evolved Elekid.

As she realized this, Gary stared at her with open, malevolent gloating, his face written with satisfaction. And with a humiliated jolt, Misty understood. She had fallen straight into his trap. He's fooled her into believing she could win, lulling her into a false sense of security and supremacy by carefully allowing himself to be beaten in the first two matches. He'd cruelly allowed her to hope, and now his final stroke would fall infinitely harder, slicing through her puffed up pride and dreams of saving Ash as well as her hopes for victory and triumph.

It no longer shocked Misty that Gary could be so cruel.

There was nothing left to do but work with what she had. There was no time to savor the last moments of hope, or scold herself any further for her presumptuousness. She could only hold her head high and do her best. She would not think about what was coming. If she did, she would fall apart.

Misty thought quickly, gripping the bar as her legs weakened beneath her. Electivire was, naturally, strong against Water attacks, and though it was not especially weak to Rock or Normal Types she knew using those attacks would lead Corsola to the most likely road to victory.

'Corsola, Spike Cannon!' she tried.

Corsola, who had been huddling rather nervously in the shadow of Electivire's looming figure and rather unsettling toothy smirk, shook off its fear and followed its Trainer's command, its spiky body glowing white as it released a barrage of needle-like pins.

'Protect, Electivire,' Gary called languidly, examining his fingernails with an expression of utter boredom. Misty's rage, which had been tempered by the pressing matter of the match and the hovering anguish that was certainly heading her way, bubbled to the surface like molten lava. She wanted to scream at him in a storm of fury and resentment to at least pay attention to the match. She wanted to rant and rage and howl the indignity of this _thing _he had forced upon her. She wanted to tear that smirk from his face for good with the well-measured razor sharp words for which she was famous. But she would not allow herself to speak. She would not give him an inch more, a drop more satisfaction. She would not allow him to see her agony. If she was to go down, she would go down with dignity.

Corsola's attack bounced hopelessly off the glowing green sphere that Electivire had summoned to protect itself, and before Misty could command another attack, Gary delivered his first assault.

'Electivire, Thunderbolt!'

It was an attack Misty had seen too many times to count, usually resulting in the "blasting off" of two interfering humans and their Meowth as they failed in their attempt to steal her best friend's prize Pokemon. And yet she had never seen one like this before – no more powerful than Ash's supercharged Pikachu, but with a certain kiss of death that left her cold inside.

'Corsola, Mirror Coat!' she tried desperately.

It was no use; the electric current simply melted straight through Corsola's glowing protective shield, unaffected by the defensive maneuver. Corsola was left blackened and smoking as the surge of electricity receded, too weak to block the next strike.

'Electivire, Thunder Punch!'

Misty watched in anguish as Electivire raised its arm, its tightly curled fist glowing and sparking with electricity. A second later the limb made contact with the side of her helpless Corsola, who fell back, engulfed in a wave of electricity. When the current finally receded, it was out cold.

'Corsola, return!' Misty called shakily, determinedly not looking at Gary. She did not want to see his face just now – or indeed ever again.

She was now left with an impossible choice, the fear of her impeding loss numbing the rage that hummed in her veins. Who would she send to a certain defeat? Had Gary seen her earlier match and thoughtless choice, and known she would be without the Pokemon that was her only hope of success against such an Electric Type? There was no way to tell. All Misty knew that without Gyarados this final battle went from difficult to impossible. Her fingers itched toward her favorite Pokeball, willing it to be ready for battle. Just this once, she told herself persuasively. Gyarados isn't _that _tired, it could take just one more match, it's strong and I need its Fire attacks, _anything _other than Water…

She sighed, allowing her fingers to ghost over the other spherical tools on her hip. Even in the face of certain defeat she couldn't do that to her prize Pokemon. And after letting Starmie strain so hard in the early part of the match she could not bear to see another of her Pokemon suffer for her – and she knew her job well enough to know it was a stupid idea to send a tired Pokemon into the most important battle of her life, even if it did give her Type equality.

Misty exhaled nervously as she mentally scrolled through her options, sparing a moment to be silently glad that she'd brought a strong team with her today. Misty usually used Training matches as a chance to work with her less experienced Pokemon – she hadn't really had a tough training match since her double battle with May against Ritchie.

'Politoed, go!' she shouted reluctantly. She hated to do it, but she had no choice - Politoed was the strongest Pokemon she had with her. Other than it she had nothing but her newly evolved Marril and her unusable Seaking to choose from.

'Politoed, Swagger!' she called immediately. Swagger always yielded unpredictable results – though it would leave Electivire confused and enraged it would also serve to boost her enemy's attack power, which could prove fatal for her poor Politoed. It was a risk, she knew, to use such a move, but it was a gamble she had no choice but to take – it was painful to admit it, but Politoed was no match for the Type-dominant Electivire. This way she had at least half a chance to deal her enemy a blow before the detrimental side to the attack kicked in. She would not think about what would happen after that.

Politoed obeyed immediately, striking a daunting pose as it crossed its arms and glared, its round green body glowing with an oddly reddish light. Electivire's eyes glimmered redder than ever as it let out a low feral growl, clearly incensed by Politoed's provocative stance. Misty stared at her Pokemon and the cocky expression she had ordered it to wear, and was uncomfortably reminded of her ever present opponent.

'Politoed, Mega Punch!' she called, shaking the thought.

Misty held her breath as Politoed sprang forward, its glowing fist raised. This was it – if this attack could get through, she might just be able to press her momentary advantage and by some act of kindness from whatever legendary Pokemon were watching over her, at least weaken Electivire's attack strength.

Politoed delivered a crushing blow to the side of Electivire's face, and for the briefest moment Misty thought she saw Gary's expression flicker from one of certain triumph to something a lot less cocky. Her stomach lurched. Perhaps Gary was not quite as self- assured of his victory as he made out to be.

But just as she allowed a tiny spark of hope to flare and flourish, Electivire sprang nimbly to its feet, its face alight with fury, and Misty knew her chances for success faded more with every passing moment. The horrific consequences of a loss bore down upon her like a shower of hail and drove her to her last, desperate effort.

'Politoed, Double Slap!'

'Electivire, Thunder!'

Politoed leapt forward bravely, undaunted by the menacing expression on its foe's face, but Misty already knew it was too late. She looked on in wretched helplessness as Electivire's electricity, summoned from the two sphere-tipped horns on the side of its head, collided with her Pokemon as it stepped forward. Politoed cried out in agony as the field of electrical energy enfolded it, sending it crashing to the ground.

'Politoed!' Misty cried worriedly.

Gary's face was unreadable. 'Finish it with a Shock Wave, Electivire!'

Misty gasped as Electivire roared vindictively, raising its hands as a shimmering sphere of blue-white electricity whirled around it. Electivire raised its hands and the sphere melted, blasting outwards in a jet of energy towards Politoed, who was struggling to its feet. It never saw the attack coming and was thrown back like a limp ragdoll, defeated in a match that it had never hoped to win.

There was a smothering, choking silence in the field as smoke curled languidly into the air from the blackened spots where Electivire had struck. Misty could hear the battle cries rising from the nearby fields, the earth shattering crashes and squeals of rage as attack met attack. All around her, the world went on, unaware.

Then Electivire roared its victory and Misty realized, with sudden, shocking clarity, that her life was over.

She gasped as her heart twisted with sadistic pain in her chest, tears seeping from under her eyelids as she fought to stay on her feet. _It was over_. The best friendship that had sustained her since she was ten years old; the one source of comfort in her years at the Gym, alone; her inspiration, her light, her laughter. It was all gone. She had failed herself at this most critical juncture, but more importantly, she had failed Ash. Things would never be the same and it was all her fault.

Images rose unbidden in her mind - Ash reeling in shock as Gary boasted the horrific news; Ash turning on her, his face contorted with pain and betrayal; Ash shouting cruel words, borne of a hurt she had never meant to inflict upon him; Ash's disgust when Gary let slip the secret that had forced her into accepting this wager in the first place…

No, it was not her fault. It was not her fault at all. It was Gary's fault, and no matter what it took, she would make him pay. Her eyes brimmed with vehemence as she stared at her defeater, tears still spilling silently down her cheeks. Gary had brought this upon her, and in doing so, he had brought something beyond his comprehension down upon himself. He would not escape unpunished.

He contemplated her from the other side of the field and seemed to decide that no words could encompass the entirety of his satisfaction at her loss and his gain, his eyes never leaving her as he recalled Electivire. She watched as he turned away, stepped slowly down from the Trainer platform and walked steadily out into the middle of the field.

Misty stumbled as she followed suit, trying to steel and shield herself from the pain this customary post match encounter would inflict upon her. She would not speak. She could not trust herself to that yet. She would lull him into a false confidence, just as he had done so viciously to her, so that when her revenge came it would be all the sweeter. She would give him no warning of what was to come – not now.

In the brief moments Misty was out of the range of Gary's gaze she hastily wiped her cheeks, pulling her clothes straight and wishing futilely that she still had Togepi to cradle in her arms. She could do with something to cling to just now.

But her pace was cool and measured as she walked towards Gary, who had chosen to linger in the middle of the field, her eyes staring fixedly at a spot inches above his head. He smiled lazily as she drew near, raising a hand for her to shake.

'Great match, Misty.' His voice was bright and airy but his eyes gleamed with mockery. Misty shuddered. 'You did awesome.'

Misty resisted the urge to smack him hard on the face and instead seized his hand, gave it one shake and dropped it again quickly, making to turn around and walk away. She could not bear to be in Gary's presence right now. Every second with him reminded her of her own failure, and she was not sure how much longer she could stay composed.

'I can't wait to tell Ash about this,' he called after her lightly. 'He's going to be _so _excited for me, isn't he?'

Misty hesitated, battling the urge to whip around and pour out the stream of curse words and death threats and rage pounding through her head, her fists clenching unconsciously. She gritted her teeth and stepped forward, refusing to give him the satisfaction of drawing a reaction.

'I told you, princess,' he continued silkily. 'No one can win against me.'

Misty felt something taut inside of her snap and she froze, wheeling around to face him. Her eyes narrowed dangerously and when she spoke her voice was rough and low and dripping with finality.

'I will.'

And with that, she turned sharply on her heel and strode away, leaving Gary in the dust of the battlefield as she went in desperate search of her best friend.

*****

Owari! How will Misty tell Ash? Will Ash lose his grip and kill Gary? Is Gary ever going to get the slap in the face he so richly deserves? You'll have to wait and see!

Well, once again I am so sorry this took so ridiculously long to get finished, but you will be pleased to learn that work is going extremely well on the latest chapter. It is coming up to Christmas so I probably will have less time to work but I will have the next installment up as soon as I can. Thanks for reading!

_**Review Replies:**_

If you are still reading this, you rock my world. To all my old reviewers – thank you for your unending patience, you have no idea how much it means to me that you are still reading this story. Your continued support, input and enthusiasm is just invaluable to me.

To new reviewers – I can't believe I am even still getting new reviewers. Your fresh feedback and overwhelming appreciation is so encouraging and helpful. Thank you all SO much, I cannot even begin to say how much I appreciate you all!


	15. Walk Away

Hey readers! Sorry this took so long – the holidays were really busy and I just got done moving house, so I didn't have much time to work on this. However, I'm really pleased with how this chapter came out and I hope you enjoy.

I suppose I should thank my super horrible, super untalented beta **Texas Longhorn **for helping me with this chapter. After all, editing this story is his big break (it's not like he has his own more detailed, creative and ambitious story to write instead, is it?) and I am getting paid by his parents to be friends with him, so I guess he deserves a mention. Actually, he took time off during a trip to Prague to check this chapter, and in my opinion he deserves sainthood for that…oh wait, I hate you TL, remember??? :)

Chapter Fifteen: Walk Away

'Thanks for coming with me, Ash,' said the silver haired girl, smiling somewhat bashfully up at the School Champion.

'Errr, no problem,' Ash replied awkwardly, scratching his head. 'I'm just glad your Poliwag is going to be okay.'

'Chu,' Pikachu interjected, sweatdropping sheepishly. The girl just smiled blissfully, and Ash looked quickly away, groaning inwardly.

Ash's second practice battle of the day had been on the water field, against the junior age girl that now walked happily beside him and whose name he could no longer remember. She'd initially appeared promising as an opponent, sensibly sending a Bellossom and a Dustox against his Pikachu, which both gave his prize Pokémon a surprisingly fair run for his money. But after Pikachu knocked Dustox back into the water, the girl made a strange, choking noise in the back of her throat – and promptly sent out a Poliwag.

Needless to say, Ash was rather taken aback by the girl's choice of Pokémon, whose Water element left the girl at both a type and field disadvantage. Most trainers would have sensed an easy victory; Ash, as usual, got a hold of the wrong end of the stick. His overstressed and distracted brain quickly assumed that the girl could not have made such a controversial choice without reason, deciding that the sweetly chirping Pokémon must possess battling abilities above and beyond its type and evolutionary level, much like his Pikachu. Armed with such a conclusion, Ash had gone strongly on the offensive.

It wasn't until thirty seconds later, when one Thunder attack from his supercharged Pikachu disposed cleanly of Poliwag, that Ash began to suspect otherwise. When the girl made to jump into the water to save her unconscious Pokémon, Ash realized, with chagrin, that the girl had simply lost her head under the strain of battling the School Champion and sent out the wrong Pokémon by mistake – and had yet to recover her senses. And when Poliwag failed to reawaken after the embarrassingly quick end to their match, Ash cursed Gary, grabbed the distraught girl and her Poliwag and dragged then both to the school Pokémon Centre.

Riddled with guilt for causing the poor, innocent girl such trauma, Ash remained with her while Nurse Joy checked the little tadpole Pokémon over. Left alone with the gorgeous top Trainer, the girl had salvaged her composure and fallen into a humiliated silence. Ash tried to cheer her up and his efforts worked rather too well, as the girl was chatting merrily when Nurse Joy came back with her Poliwag. After administering some Super Potion it became apparent that Poliwag was definitely going to live to tell the tale, to Ash's relief, but the girl seemed reluctant to cut her exclusive conversation short and expressed some concern that Poliwag needed another check before it could possibly be well enough to leave the Pokémon Centre. But when Ash made a move to leave the girl quickly changed her tune, grabbing the still-delicate Poliwag and racing out the door after him. Ash resigned himself to her company on the short trip to the lunchroom.

The girl beamed up at him again as if she couldn't possibly believe her luck and Ash smiled painfully back at her, covertly speeding up. In her defense, this girl was not part of the group who called themselves the Ash Ketchum Fan Club and consequently displayed their commitment to him by stashing heart shaped cookies in his locker and overloading his email inbox with sappy e-cards (he'd changed his email address _twice_ since arriving at Pokémon High, but those love notes just kept popping up on his computer – Ash could only conclude that the girls were either ridiculously well connected in the computer industry and had bribed executives into leaking confidential data, or they threatened every one of his friends with disembowelment until they'd found someone with enough self preservation to tell) but she was still looking unnervingly thrilled at the turn of events that had led her to this most magical moment – walking down the hallways with Ash Ketchum. Admittedly there was hardly anyone around to see them as most people had made it to lunch already, but she was still smiling in a way that made Ash want to leg it to the safety of the nearest men's room.

He was glad when they reached the lunchroom, waving a hasty goodbye and threading quickly into the students milling about between the tables. The girl didn't seem to mind much – she was much too excited to spill the story of her dreamy morning with the Champion to her jealously ogling friends to care about his sudden departure. As he took his place in the short lunch line Ash glanced around and noticed that Drew and Paul were already at their usual table, engaged in some sort of mini food fight. The silky green hair that was Drew's pride and joy was matted with something that looked suspiciously like chip crumbs and clearly the Coordinator was not happy, as he seemed to be attempting to stash an entire hamburger down the back of Paul's blue jacket. Ash grinned, making a mental note to choose a food sticky and gross to splatter in Paul's untouched hair, and his eyes wandered automatically to Misty's usual table.

He frowned as he realized there were only two heads peeking out from the middle of the crowded room, one blue and one brown. May and Dawn seemed caught up in some sort of spirited debate, and Ash noticed with an exasperated sigh that not a second would go by without one of them glancing over at his usual table. Paul and Drew had clearly come to some sort of truce and joined forces and were now flicking bits of sandwich at the back of Ritchie's head, who sat nearby. As he watched, he saw May glance at her watch and frown, leaning forward to make a sober comment to Dawn. The blunette nodded seriously and both girls twisted around in their seats, scanning the thinning crowds moving through the maze of tables. Ash managed to catch May's eye and mouthed Misty's name, making a questioning face and raising his hands in confusion. May shrugged helplessly and Ash sighed, turning away with a quick wave. It had been a long shot, asking them – they were even less likely to have seen her than him, as the Appeal Complex was on the other side of the school from the Battle Complex.

Ash shot the doors to the lunchroom a resentful glare as he approached the lunch counter, as if the innocent wooden panels were in some way responsible for his missing friend, and reached absent mindedly for whatever food he could lay his hands on. He wasn't feeling very hungry any more. He tried to ignore the tense knot in the pit of his stomach as he glanced over his shoulder yet again while impatiently waiting for the lunch lady to deal him out his change, telling himself over and over again that there was no reason to worry over Misty's absence, and that it was in no way related to a certain meddling Gary Oak.

Ash was not exactly one for seeking out deep, meaningful conversations that delved into the murky realm of his own emotions, but even he realized that he had to speak to Misty as soon as possible. After Gary's entirely unwanted interruption during homeroom, Ash had hardly been able to summon the guts to look at her, never mind hold an intelligent conversation (something he was having trouble with at the moment anyway). And though all it had taken was a nice, relaxing walkover Training match to calm him down, Ash was worried that Misty would interpret his silence as embarrassment, confusion or infuriation caused by Gary's rude remarks.

Of course, Gary's comments _had _embarrassed and infuriated and confused him; Ash just figured that Misty didn't need to know that.

He had had some time to reflect since the confrontation and the more he turned the conversation between Gary and Misty over in his mind, the more it worried him. Sure, Misty really had seemed to mean what she said about Gary looking better as Gyarados bait than as a human, but it was not Misty herself that had worried him. It was Gary – there had been something in his expression, something so like triumph and satisfaction that Ash was afraid of the meaning behind it.

As selfish as it sounded, Ash needed to speak to Misty to assuage his _own_ fears more than anything.

It really was irritating, not to mention downright embarrassing, that a minute little discovery, like the fact that he was in love with his best friend, could alter his behavior so immensely. Ever since he'd caught up with the rest of the intelligent world and noticed what had been staring him in the face for almost eight years, Ash had found himself acting decidedly out of character. His usual laid back attitude had been mercilessly replaced with one that lashed out like a Charizard with a headache at the slightest provocation. Ash had never been in love before, at least not knowingly, and he was already despairing over how such a coveted emotion could bring out the worst in him. He could hardly believe how moody and aggressive he had become towards just about everyone but the object of his affections. Sure, Gary had always been able to get under his skin in the worst of ways, but his feelings for Misty were so intense and tempestuous that it made anything to do with her very difficult to view in a rational manner.

Ash craned to stare at the stubbornly closed doors as he picked his way through the medley of tables, wishing that he'd had the presence of mind to look for her when he had left the Battle Complex. The last he'd seen of her was when he'd passed her on his way to his second battle, when she'd been toasting some poor, defenseless kid's Eevee with that monster Gyarados of hers. He'd meant to catch up with her after their second battles and hopefully use the walk to lunch to try and smooth things over, but after the incident with the Poliwag he'd been so caught up in dealing with his hysterical opponent and her lifeless Pokémon that his own cares had slipped his mind. He racked his brains, trying to remember if he'd seen her with a second opponent. Perhaps if she had been paired against someone really tough, it would explain her lateness to lunch. But even that excuse wore thinner by the second as the stream of students trickling in from classes dried up completely. If Misty was still in the Battle Complex, she was probably there alone.

Ash trudged over to his table and slammed his tray down so hard that his fries leapt off his plate and into his bowl of banana pudding. He groaned and slumped into his chair, making no attempt to save the drowning fries from a creamy death and fiddling with his drink instead.

'Hey Ash,' Drew said cheerily. His face was streaked with something that looked like ketchup but he was grinning triumphantly. Ash glanced over at Ritchie's table and saw his old opponent huddled huffily in his chair, his cap resting on the table beside his elbow and soaked with something that looked like pink lemonade.

'Hi,' he mumbled halfheartedly, not even managing to crack a smile as Ritchie turned and gave Drew the evil eye. The gesture went unnoticed by the victorious Coordinator, who was digging into a plate of lasagna with disgusting gusto and beaming.

'Nice to see you too, Ash,' Paul said dryly as he picked a piece crushed tator tot out of his hair.

'Why the long face, Ash?' Drew mumbled thickly, pasta spilling out of his mouth and dribbling down his chin.

'Drew, _please,_ May is going to run screaming if she sees you chowing down like that,' Paul said, eyeing his gluttonous friend in revulsion. 'Keep the food _in _your mouth, idiot! Honestly, how old are you?'

'I have a healthy appetite!' Drew objected, continuing to shovel down food.

'May's just as bad,' Ash interjected vaguely, glancing over at the table where the Cerulean Gym Leader's place still stood pointedly unfilled. 'You should see her eat noodles, it's like watching a hungry pig.'

Drew's head snapped up, his eyes enraged, but his mouth was too full to form any sort of coherent reply.

Paul rolled his eyes, glancing over at Ash in grim amusement. The Trainer was staring apathetically down at his plate, his fries growing steadily soggier and his hamburger untouched.

'Ash, what's up?' he questioned. Ash just shrugged, picking uninterestedly at his fry-filled pudding and reaching for his drink again.

'This wouldn't have anything to do with Gary's little joke this morning, would it?' Paul asked shrewdly. When Ash pointedly failed to reply he pressed on. 'Or the continued absence of a certain red-haired Trainer?'

'No,' Ash said stubbornly.

'Yes,' Drew interjected, his tone muffled by his monster mouthful.

'You're worried that she's upset about it and skipped lunch to avoid seeing you?' Paul continued bluntly, stirring his cup of soup.

Ash winced and scowled down at his plate. At times like these it was a real pain having such intuitive friends – or perhaps it was his own fault for being so easy to read.

'No,' he muttered unconvincingly, wishing he could copy Paul's famously sour poker face, developed specially to hide any and all emotions.

Drew snorted, spraying tomato sauce out of his mouth like a sprinkler. 'Yes,' he smirked, ignoring Paul's accompanying yelp of protest as his chicken sandwich was painted in red.

Ash growled, stabbing his hamburger with a knife and wishing it was Gary Oak's neck. 'Shut up,' he hissed. He hated how Gary Oak still knew what buttons to press, even after all these years – and he hated how his feelings for Misty were now his most sensitive spot of all.

Why did I have to go and fall in love with my best friend? Ash thought in exasperation. If only I could go invent a time machine and go back to the day she fished me out of the lake – I could just run instead of borrowing her bike so that I'd never find out how wonderful she is…

Paul raised his eyebrows and shot Drew a clear 'shut up' glare, the younger teen quailing under its intensity and returning meekly to his plate of food.

'Uh, I'm sure she's fine, Ash,' Paul said, his voice a clear attempt at a rare encouraging tone. Ash jumped, blinking rapidly – he'd been otherwise occupied, putting the finishing touches to his plan of meeting Misty when he was twenty five instead of ten (Ash figured that if he wasn't a Pokémon Master by twenty five then he wasn't trying hard enough) so that she'd never have to meet Gary Oak. The Misty in his head had been awed by the attentions of the handsome and enviously smooth Pokémon Master and fallen straight into his arms.

'What?' he said blankly.

'I'm sure Misty just got caught up or something,' Paul repeated patiently, resisting the urge to slam his head into the table top. 'She's heard enough of Gary's crap in her time – she knows better than to listen to him.'

'Oh, yeah, whatever,' Ash muttered, not pleased to be reminded of the subject of his friend's continued absence as he was rather enjoying the image of his older self appearing at the Cerulean Gym and whisking the gorgeous red-haired Gym Leader away on a fated romance. He twisted in his seat, just to make sure – yes, she was still missing. Ash slouched grumpily in his seat, contemplating abandoning his lunch and going in search for her before deciding that was entirely too stalker-like.

'Hey there, Ashy boy,' an impudent voice came from behind him.

Ash froze, his hamburger slipping from his grip and landing on the scarred table with a squishy thump.

This was the _last_ thing he needed right now.

'Go away Gary,' Ash ground out through clenched teeth, not daring to turn around in case he lost control and decked his adversary just for being himself. 'I have better things to do then listen to your crap.'

Behind Ash, Gary tutted patronizingly. 'So rude, Ashy – your mother would be disappointed in you.' Ash was suddenly savagely glad he could not see that face. The temptation to punch it would surely be too much to resist.

Whoa, when did I get so violent? Ash thought distractedly. But then Gary sighed theatrically, and Ash clutched the edge of the table, trying to concentrate on breathing regularly.

'As it is, I have some _excellent _news to tell you - you're going to be _so_ happy for me.'

'Why would I be interested in anything that makes you happy, Gary?' Ash snapped harshly.

'Oh, did I forget to add?' Gary continued in mock surprise. 'It just happens to concern your hot little Gym Leader friend.'

Ash was utterly still for an instant as he played Gary's words back over in his head as if he could not believe that he had just heard them. Then he stood up so quickly that his chair crashed to the ground, whipping around and snarling in Gary's face. All over the room a hush descended as people stopped to stare, their own conversations stuttering to a halt as they turned to eagerly watch the two boys facing off.

'Stay away from Misty,' Ash hissed, poking his enemy hard in the chest. He yanked his hand back, twisting it with his other hand so that they would not reshape Gary's face. Gary was not worth getting expelled for.

Gary's smile was reptilian as he stepped closer to Ash, and he let out a low, smooth chuckle. 'I tried to, Ashy-boy, I really did,' he mocked quietly, his eyes full of malicious triumph. 'But _she_ was the one who couldn't keep away from _me_.'

Ash tried to laugh scornfully, the tension twisting his insides increasing as the sound came out sharp and strained. 'Liar,' he snorted bravely. 'She hates you! She told you so herself just this morning!'

But Gary just kept on smiling with that slow, sultry satisfaction, and ice spilled into Ash's stomach like an avalanche. 'Then how come she _begged _me to take her to the dance instead of you when we battled just now?' he said softly, his voice like velvet.

To Ash, the low hum of the closely watching, hurriedly gossiping lunchroom seemed to fade away at those fateful words; even the faces of Paul and Drew, who had risen to stand beside him, seemed to distort and blur. There was nothing and no one but Gary, who surveyed him with the cool detachment of an executioner preparing his next victim.

'_Liar_,' Ash repeated roughly, stepping forward. Paul and Drew made no attempt to restrain him. 'She's going with _me_. Don't you remember her turning you down, that day in the hall?' Ash's voice dropped dangerously. 'You didn't like that much, did you Gary? You're not used to beautiful girls turning you down, are you?'

But Gary just kept on smiling. 'Here she is now,' he said pleasantly, his eyes boring into Ash. 'Why don't we ask her who she is going with?'

'Fine,' Ash said, trying to make his tone cool and level as he turned to search for his best friend, his heart hammering in his chest. And sure enough, there she was framed in the doorway and looking as beautiful as ever.

And as he looked at her, sweaty and flushed as she was, Ash smiled a private smile and knew more than ever that he was in love with her. This was Misty, his Misty, and now that he saw her again, he was almost ashamed that he could ever have doubted her so seriously. Whether she loved him back or not, she would never have done anything like _that _to him. They were best friends. He trusted her. His smile grew wider as he contemplated with satisfaction the take down heading Gary's way. His little fan girls would be left picking up the pieces of the ex researcher by the time Misty was finished with him. Honestly, Gary should have known better than to insult a girl like Misty like that – but then again, he'd never seen her with that mallet before.

He waited with anticipation as she drew closer, but he didn't notice the look in her eyes.

Misty had been watching when Ash turned, and the expression on his face had been enough to break her. Written there was such inane trust, such fondness and such anticipation of revenge upon his enemy that Misty could hardly bear to be the one to shatter it. She wanted to crumple to the ground and sob her heart out. She wanted to run home and hide in her room pretending this day had never happened. She wanted to rewind the last two hours. She wanted to kill Gary Oak and eat him for breakfast. She'd just spent the last twenty minutes searching the school from top to bottom with feverish haste, and Gary had still found Ash first. And now her chance of telling Ash herself was gone, and the last hope of making him understand had died with it.

After leaving Gary alone on the battlefield Misty scanned the Battle Complex and once sure that Ash was not there she fled straight to the lunchroom, where she automatically assumed he would be. On her arrival she discovered with increasing anxiety that he was definitely not there, and with panic rising every moment she had descended upon a terrified looking Drew and Paul and demanded to know his whereabouts. When neither could shed light on his location, Misty tried Plan B. She whipped out her cell phone and began tapping away furiously, but when her attempts to contact both Ash and May and Dawn, who were not at lunch yet, failed, Misty had no other option but to deploy a manual search and rescue mission.

She sprinted back to the Battle Complex, just to be sure, and when she found the place completely empty she embarked upon a desperate hunt of the entire school. She'd hardly been able to think straight – every moment that passed lessened her chances of finding him before Gary. She raced from floor to floor, skidding around corners and stumbling up steps with her heart in her mouth to check everywhere he could possibly be. The Appeal Complex, the hall where his locker was, their homeroom, the Advanced Training classroom where he was due straight after lunch, the _library _of all places (she'd been running out of ideas at that point) – Misty even went so far as to persuade a freshman who hadn't started his journey yet with the promise of an easy Cascade badge if he checked the Men's bathroom for her. But Ash remained elusive, as he always did when she wanted him most. When all proved fruitless she could only infer that he had somehow managed to slip past her and she had returned once more to the place where he was most likely to be, praying desperately that Gary had not got there first.

Her prayers had clearly been in vain. For there he was, the love of her life, standing so innocently beside her poisonously smiling nemesis. This could only mean the worst. She had to try and find out what Gary had already said and salvage the situation to the best of her abilities. There was no need to make Ash suffer any more than he was fated to.

Ash waved forcefully, his arms like the blades of a windmill as he sought to capture her attention as he grinned like a Cheshire Cat, and Misty sped up, weaving through the maze of tables towards him. She was conscious that on every side there was unnatural silence, curious eyes, whispered words, and knew that nothing she said would induce Gary to move their little party into the privacy of the hallway. Gary had planned and executed his attack perfectly – the stroke would fall in front of the entire school. Ash would have no place to hide.

'Hello Misty,' said Gary lightly as she approached. Misty spared him a truly filthy look, resisted the urge to pull her mallet on him and pound him into dust, before turning her back on him and staring imploringly up at her best friend.

'Hey Misty, I - '

'Ash, I need to talk to you,' she said quickly, attempting to keep her tone natural. Perhaps if she acted casual enough, Gary would think she had already told him and allow her to wrench him away, away from all these people.

Misty gulped nervously as she watched Ash's expression change; where there had been security and surety, doubt and alarm now crept. Misty cursed inwardly as she acknowledged what she already knew – Gary might have found Ash first but he had left it to her to deal the strike. He had opened the book but left her to finish the story. Ash already knew something was up.

'What do you want to talk to me about, Misty?' His voice was devoid of its previous warmth, measured and careful, but his eyes were urgent. Not for the first time, Misty was glad that Ash wore his heart so carelessly on his sleeve. It would make it easier to gauge his reactions.

'Not here,' Misty replied urgently, reaching forward to grasp his sleeve and tow him away. Gary made to intervene but there was no need; Ash yanked his hand from her grip and stepped back, his expression hardening.

'What is it, Misty?' he said, his voice uncharacteristically sharp. Misty was chilled by his aloof tone; she'd never heard Ash speak to her like that before. His face was closed and blank and his eyes were cold, but his hands were clenched so firmly that his knuckles were white. She swallowed quickly, trying to alleviate the lump in her throat. She had to remain calm, get control of the situation before it got any more out of hand.

'Tell him, princess,' Gary put in lazily, his eyes blazing victoriously.

Ash looked quickly at Gary and then back at Misty, his controlled expression cracking. He seemed to forget about the presence of his enemy and the watching crowds. He looked only at Misty, his eyes overflowing with emotion as he pressed his lips together tightly.

'Misty?' he whispered huskily, his voice wavering.

Misty saw again in her mind's eye what she had seen down on the battle field – Ash's many possible reactions, his shock, his hurt, his embarrassment, his anger. And she realized that even after all these years of friendship she could not say what he would do. Though they had spent all their years arguing, they had never been forced to overcome any serious breach in their relationship simply because they had never met with one. She had understood when he had failed to keep in touch with her regularly on his later journeys; he had apologized anyway. This was a different matter entirely, and one they would never get over.

'Ash,' she said desperately. 'I had to, I didn't want to, I swear, please believe me, it's not what you think - '

'Watch it, Red,' Gary put in threateningly, glancing at Ash in alarm; he knew only too well what would happen if Misty's secret was revealed, and such an tumultuous event would ruin his carefully laid plans.

Ash did not hear Gary's timely intervention; indeed, he did not even seem to be listening to Misty's vain attempt to make him understand. He was staring at her with a glassy expression so fractured and stunned that Misty felt the tears pricking in her eyes spill out of their confinements and trickle down her cheeks.

Gary looked in satisfaction from one broken face to the other. 'I told you so, Ash,' he said quietly.

Once more Ash did not heed Gary at all, or give any sign that he had heard him speak.

'Misty?' he said again, his voice begging her to tell him it was a joke, a lie, anything other than what it was. A sob choked itself in Misty's throat and she stepped forward, reaching out to put a hand on his arms, begging him to stay with her so that she could explain. 'Ash - '

'Stay away from me.'

Misty gasped, the words reverberating painfully in her chest.

No, no, no, she thought wildly, Ash did not just say that, he could not possibly have said that, this is a dream and I will wake up and everything will be okay again…

Even as she looked at him, his expression closed down like a Pokeball snapping shut. Gone was the brief hint of agony she had seen just an instant before; Ash's face was a mask, frozen in hatred and disdain. He stepped back, shaking her hand roughly from his arm as if he could not bear for her to touch him.

Misty could do nothing but stumble desperately towards him. 'Ash,' she tried again. 'Please, please don't do this, I can't – '

'I said,' Ash said, his voice like ice, 'stay _away _from me.' Misty fell back like she'd been scalded, her breath tangling in her throat. Ash spared her one last look and for an instant his eyes seemed to melt and she could see right to through their liquid depths. She could see the pain there, the pain she had inflicted.

Ash turned to Gary for the first time since her arrival. 'You're welcome to her.'

And then the ice crept back upon him and with one last look of disgust, he turned away from her and walked away.

Ash sped up as he reached the doorway, not caring if his obvious desire to get out of the lunch room negated his indifference. Hot tears clawed mercilessly at the back of his eyes and he clenched his jaw firmly. He had had enough humiliation for one day. He would not cry.

Unfortunately for Ash, Dawn and May chose that moment to troop cheerily into the lunchroom. They were complaining loudly.

'You'd think they'd be _happy_ we were so enthusiastic about the new project! Appeal Practice is usually so boring!' May groaned.

Dawn nodded seriously. 'I know – I mean, how was I to know the sewing machine would explode if I got the thread tangled? I was only trying to sew the sequins on Piplup's new outfit!'

'There must be some child labor law about keeping students from lunch just so they can clean up a bit of fabric paint! I should get my dad to - hey, watch it!'

Ash groaned inwardly; he had not noticed the presence of his other female friends and he was anxious to escape them.

'Sorry May,' he muttered before making to dart between them. But Dawn was too quick. Quick as a flash she reached out and seized his arm before he could slip away.

'Ash, what's wrong?' she questioned urgently.

'Yeah, you look awful!' May chimed in as she righted herself.

It was too much for Ash. He turned back to face them, hardly caring about the traitorous tears now pricking under his eyelids. Dawn and May drew back when they saw his countenance, their own expressions chilled.

'Ask _Misty_,' he hissed vehemently, his eyes blazing, before turning tail and sprinting away.

*****

Misty was not a pretty sight when she entered the Advanced Training classroom that afternoon. She had arrived early in the vain hope that she could hide in a corner and pretend to be invisible, but she had underestimated just how far her peers would go to scoop the scandal of the year. When she'd stumbled through the door, make up streaked down her face, every one of her classmates (with a few important exceptions) were already seated stiffly in their seats, silent and staring intently at her as if she was going to do something notorious and gossip-worthy right in front of their eyes. She'd stuck her chin in the air and stumbled awkwardly over to her seat, trying to ignore the death glares coming from Drew and Paul, who had pointedly chosen a new table in the corner. She'd seen them streaking about the building looking for Ash, and they'd clearly decided the same thing as the rest of the class – that it was best to wait in the place Ash was most likely to turn up next.

Things had only gotten worse when May and Dawn had turned up, looking sweaty and furious. May had a face like thunder, which Misty recognized as May's 'I missed my lunch' face and accordingly tensed to duck any flying objects flung randomly around the room. They shimmied awkwardly in the doorway, whispering furiously together and gesticulating sharply, before stalking over to their usual table and sitting noisily down beside Misty, where they proceeded to ignore her entirely.

Misty resisted the urge to slam her head repeatedly into the table. This was a side effect she had anticipated, of course, but she knew by now that May and Dawn would have heard the news from the school gossips and not from her and that could only make it worse.

The classroom was uncomfortably quiet. Misty was just contemplating faking sick and getting sent home when the door slammed open and Ash strolled in.

He couldn't have looked more different from the last time she'd seen him. Smiling almost benignly he strode confidently over to the new table Drew and Paul had selected, and without commenting on the change he swung into an empty seat and struck up a casual conversation with his friends.

Misty was not the only one staring as Ash chatted merrily away, draped comfortably in his chair as if he hadn't a care in the world. Just twenty minutes ago he'd stormed out of the lunchroom in a mess of rage and tears and refused to be found for the rest of the lunch period, yet now he was as cool as a Jynx on an ice floe. Misty had never seen him so…_smooth. _He didn't look like a guy who had just been dumped by his best friend for his rival.

Misty couldn't make head nor tail of it. Ash was so liquid in his emotions, and after such a public display in the lunchroom! She had expected open hostility the whole class. Yet here he was, not just ignoring her but acting as if she didn't exist!

Ash shifted unconsciously in his seat and Misty turned hurriedly away, afraid he would catch her staring. Now was not the time to open a discussion with him – the last thing she needed was yet another public showdown. Beside her Dawn fiddled madly with a spare pencil and May stared blankly at a wall; Misty guessed she was not the only one trying to suss out Ash's weird behavior.

Misty almost had a heart attack when Gary swaggered through the doors, flanked, as usual, by his sullen older sister and her gaggle of admiring friends. Misty wanted to throw up – now everyone in the school thought she had dumped Ash for this slick, flirtatious loser.

But Gary seemed to understand that to push her in public would only damage his own credibility, so with a sensual smile that Misty returned with a vicious scowl he sauntered over to his table and left her alone. Misty couldn't resist turning to see Ash's expression – his eyes had hardened almost imperceptibly at the sight of his enemy but he kept on talking. Paul and Drew, to their credit, joined in with spirit, laughing freely and smiling as if nothing was wrong, but they couldn't fool Misty – Drew's expression was faintly alarmed and Paul looked like he wanted to kill something. Namely, her.

Misty breathed a sigh of relief as Professor Oak wandered into the classroom, and settled down for an hour of solid worrying. She knew it would be hopeless to try and concentrate on the lecture, and figured the time was better spent trying to figure a way out of this mess.

She strained her brain all through class but no matter what she did, she couldn't think of any way around the conditions Gary had set upon her. Blind panic kept creeping into her brain and clouding her thought process, and she could not help but dwell on Ash's reactions. She had known it was coming, of course, but that didn't make it any less painful.

Misty had planned to hang back after class, figuring that if she walked behind everyone they couldn't stare at her so much. But when Ash was the first of the students to move from his seat she stilled herself, hoping vainly he would come to her.

Ash rose magnificently from his chair, made quite a show of straightening his clothes and smoothing his hair, and sauntered purposely over to the table in the corner.

Gary froze as Ash moved closer, clearly torn between steeling for a punch to the face or throwing out a provocative comment.

But it was not Gary who Ash was aiming for.

His smile was sensual as he placed his hands on the desk and leaned forward intimately.

'Hey Daisy,' he purred.

Daisy smiled coyly, fluffing her hair. 'Hey Ash.'

Ash shifted even closer, his lips almost close enough to brush her ear, and yet there was not a person in the room who did not hear his next words.

'You wanna go to the dance with me?'

*****

Oooh, plot twist! Will Ash ever find out the truth, and if he does will he decapitate Gary, to the relief of all? Will Misty commit suicide by running in front of a bus? And will Gary ever hatch a plan that goes wrong? Find out in the next installment, peeps! I have started Chapter 16 but I don't have a lot of time on my hands at the moment. However, I will try and get the next chapter done as soon as possible.

**Review Replies:**

Hey all you lovely people! Once again I want to thank every single one of you for taking the time to leave a review. All feedback is appreciated, good or bad! I find it hard to believe that there are so many of you that have stuck with me so long and still enjoy the story. It is a pleasure writing for you all and I hope you continue with me to the end! A special hello to Sarah, aka KawaiiCherryBlossom-aka-BWF – I was so excited to see your reviews, its good to have you back! But I appreciate every one of you and your encouragement is everything to me. Thank you!!!


	16. Gotta Go My Own Way

Hey people! Okay, I do apologize for taking so long with this chapter but believe me, it was not through lack of trying. As I told my awesome reader **iluvpoke**, I spent hours a day working on this but no matter what I did, I just couldn't seem to get it right. I finally got a burst of that complex and elusive hallucinogen, inspiration, and the whole thing finally began to come together. After so much trouble, I am happy to say that I am proud of how this chapter came out.

Kudos to my beta **Texas Longhorn **for his help with this chapter – I would be mean to him as usual, but he did put up with a sizeable dose of whining about how disobedient this chapter was. Hit me with your best shot, TL!

Chapter Sixteen: Gotta Go My Own Way

Room Fifteen was a name that rang in infamy among the girls of Indigo Hall – and for good reason, too. It all started on the very first day of the semester, when the building's new residents had skittered from floor to floor in search of their newly assigned rooms, praying to Arceus that their as yet unknown roommates didn't harbor kleptomaniac tendencies or suffer from perpetual homesickness. The three floors of the Hall were filled with nothing but the sounds of quick, nervous footsteps on the stairs and awkward first greetings, muffled from behind closed doors.

Two excited squeals pierced the tense air, followed by high pitched but indecipherable conversation and the ominous sound of jumping up and down. The rumpus from inside the small innocuous double was so loud that a group of hapless junior age girls panicked and dove out of the emergency door and onto the fire escape. They realized their mistake several moments later when the residents of Room Fifteen failed to burst from their room screaming that the building was collapsing or similar. Instead, the initial uproar was replaced with the pounding of loud, cheesy pop music, riotous laugher and what appeared to be the sound of every Pokemon in the Pokedex.

Dawn and May had some rather disgruntled hall mates to face the next morning, and received many overtired scowls while eating their morning breakfast cereal. They tried to apologize to those who had been mercilessly sleep deprived, and to make up for the disturbance, they invited the whole building to a party in their room that very night – after lights out. Despite some goody-goody protests the whole building turned up, bearing CDs, nail polish, magazines and enough snacks to feed an army of preschoolers.

Needless to say, May and Dawn were quite popular after that.

But this particular night was different. It was a Friday evening and Room Fifteen was pointedly silent, and not a single resident of the Indigo Hall dared to disturb the two girls known to be old traveling companions of a certain Ash Ketchum.

Inside the room was a sorry sight. Dawn was curled in a small pink armchair by the window with Piplup on her lap and a scowl on her face. A large mound of chocolate wrappers and an empty tub of ice cream perched beside her, dripping steadily onto a pile of textbooks on the floor. May paced the floors as if the carpet itself was personally responsible for the entire infuriating situation. Her face was set in a grim line.

'I just can't believe it,' Dawn said grumpily for what seemed like the fifty millionth time that day, stroking Piplup's head absent mindedly. 'You know why? Cause it's unbelievable, that's why.'

May sighed, giving up on the idea that the floor could be tortured for information and flopping down on her bed instead. 'I know,' she muttered, rubbing her temples in slow, soothing circles.

The two girls fell back into silence, each lost in their own contemplations. It had been like that for most of the day; after a brief hour of intense, outraged discussion during after school study period, the two girls had resigned themselves to discovering the reason for Misty's behavior using brain power alone. So far they had both drawn a blank, and it was wounding their considerable pride in their own intellect.

Dawn, not naturally given to patience and logic, snapped as suddenly as an overwrought bow string. She leapt to her feet, grabbed a nearby _How To Win Your Appeal Round _textbook and flung it against the wall. 'Ugh!' she shouted in temper, Piplup squawking loudly in surprise as it tumbled to the floor. 'This is insane! No matter how I look at it, it just doesn't make sense! Misty's crazy about Ash! She resents sharing air with Gary! Then why would she give up a date with Ash to go with him? Why would she do such a thing? Why?'

Dawn threw herself down on her bed, scowling furiously, but not before grabbing a bottle of May's lotion and lobbing it furiously at the door.

'Whoa, rant much, Dawn?' May remarked idly, glaring up at the ceiling as if it were now the part of the fittings responsible for Ash and Misty's mess.

Dawn huffed exasperatedly. 'I'm just worried about them is all. And I hate not knowing things!'

Silence descended again, but Dawn was not content with it. 'You think it's true, what everyone's saying?' she asked snidely. 'You know, that Gary agreed to underwrite the Gym's expansion plans if Misty went out with him?'

May shot Dawn a frosty look. 'Given that the Gym recently experienced financial problems, I doubt that they are even considering expansion plans right now. And of course, given that Misty would have to truly be more heartless than even Gary Oak to do something like that purely for financial gain, I think we can rule that out as a possibility.'

Dawn immediately looked guilty. 'Um, yeah,' she muttered chastely, scooping an irate Piplup back into her arms. The little bird was chirping indignantly.

'You should know better than to listen to gossip, Dawn,' May said severely. When Dawn failed to reply she sighed, rubbing her face tiredly. 'Dawn, do you get the feeling that we're…missing something here?'

'What do you mean?' Dawn replied quickly.

'I mean, do you think we're missing something huge and obvious that's right under our noses?'

'Uh…no?'

May snorted, hauling herself into a sitting position. Dawn could be so deep sometimes.

'Okay, let's look at this objectively. Up until today, we and the rest of the intelligent population were under the impression that Misty was in love with Ash and hated Gary. Right?'

'Right,' Dawn agreed warily.

'Then she's got to have a reason for doing something this crazy. I mean, this is Misty, our friend Misty, who already turned Gary down for the chance of going to the dance with Ash! And we both know for a fact that she'd been mad about him for years! So there is no possible chance that she would want to give up an evening like that with Ash to go with Gary instead, not unless she suffered a serious blow to the head in the last twenty four hours!'

Dawn frowned. 'That's a good point, I guess. I mean, she didn't offer any sort of explanation for just dumping Ash like that, not to him or to us or to anyone else. But why?'

May sighed, slumping back down onto her pillows. 'I don't know why, but you can be sure I'm going to try my best to find out.' She paused a moment, contemplating the best next move. 'I think we're just going to have to ask her straight, Dawn. It's the only way we'll know.'

Dawn stiffened. 'If it was anything she wanted to share, she would have told us already,' she said shortly.

'Yeah, except we didn't exactly give her the chance to speak for herself today,' May pointed out fairly. She didn't like to admit it, but it was true – angry as they had been, they hadn't exactly gone out of their way to give Misty a chance to explain herself. But Misty was their friend. She deserved the chance to clear her own name.

'I guess,' Dawn mumbled sourly. 'I just find it hard to believe that this whole thing can just be explained away. I mean, maybe she really did want to go with Gary. And if that's the case, I'm not going to stop her, but she can forget about being friends with me!'

When May stayed stubbornly silent Dawn sighed, smacking the wall irritably with the flat of her palm. 'I'm sorry, I don't mean to be so rude about Misty – I guess I really can't believe that she would do something like this. It makes me furious that she would treat Ash this way. And I – well, Misty is my friend too. I thought I could trust her.'

'I've known Misty longer than you, Dawn, and I saw the way she was with Ash even all those years ago. Believe me on this – something's up.'

Dawn contemplated that for a moment, and then smiled in relief. 'You're right, May,' she said brightly. 'You've got to be. And good thing too – I hate being mad with Misty. I like her too much for that!'

May grinned. 'You change your mind so easily its amusing, Dawn.'

'Well, you're pretty persuasive, you know,' Dawn huffed, crossing her arms. 'And I really want to believe you!'

May's teasing smile vanished and she looked solemn. 'Let's hope you have reason to believe me.'

Dawn sobered instantly. 'If I don't, we'll be stuck with Daisy for eternity.'

May groaned. 'Don't remind me. I know he's mad and all but seriously, that was crossing the line.'

'Yeah, nothing, not even this, makes it a sensible idea to ask her out. I mean, does he have any idea what he's getting himself into?'

'This is Ash we're talking about, Dawn – angry, hurt Ash. I doubt he has a freaking clue what he's doing.'

*****

May and Dawn were not ones to wait around once they had made a decision, but they agreed that this was a confrontation that could not take place over the phone. Dawn insisted this was because she wanted to beat Misty within an inch of her life if she turned out to be as heartless as they were hoping she wasn't, but May knew better than to believe that – Dawn, ever the optimist, was hoping that some miraculous explanation would reveal itself over the course of the weekend and everything would go back to the way it was.

But naturally no such blissful event happened and May and Dawn spent a terse weekend slouching in their room and not doing their homework. On Monday morning they were both up and dressed at the crack of dawn, and feeling very French Resistance they crept out of their Hall and took up their pre-agreed upon position behind some bushes near the entrance of the school and settled down to wait for a certain Cerulean Gym leader.

When Misty finally appeared, right on time as usual, the two Coordinators slunk out from behind the shrubbery and stalked her down the hallways, using stray passers-by to shield them from the unknowing eyes of their quarry. Just as Misty shuffled past the ladies' room at the end of the hall, May signaled furtively to Dawn and the two detectives struck. Leaping out from behind a handy pillar they pounced upon their target and ignoring her surprised yelp, dragged her into the restrooms.

The bathroom was packed with girls but that did not seem to discourage the two grimly determined Coordinators. They hustled the struggling Misty into a corner and ignoring her heated demands for an explanation, they proceeded to freely distributed glares so intimidating that every other female in the vicinity innocently checking their makeup or washing their hands fled in fear of their lives.

May distinctly heard a couple of freshmen discuss in not-so-hushed whispers their plan to lie in wait for Misty outside the bathroom doors, but when the pair realized that the three older girls could hear them they squeaked and grabbed for the door. Dawn exhaled sharply as the last of the lingerers disappeared, and Misty fell silent.

As the door slammed shut and silence echoed through the starkly tiled room, May and Dawn turned solemnly to stare at their captive.

Misty did not look good. She was dressed in her usual trim outfit and her hair was as attractively unruly as ever, but her face was pale and puffy and her nose was red. The whites of her eyes were bloodshot and her sparkling sea green irises, usually so full of light and laughter, were hard and cold. Dawn and May had been sure she would fight and rage and storm against their admittedly rough treatment of her – they'd even come up with an alternative plan if she refused to accompany them into the sanctuary of the bathrooms – and though she'd put up an impressive display of disapproval, she'd still allowed herself to be towed into custody against her will.

May knew that Misty wasn't above resorting to violence to get her way (Ash had spent many hours bemoaning the bruises he'd received from her mallet) so the fact that she and Dawn had not only escaped without black eyes but succeeded in detaining Misty told her that Misty must have expected she and Dawn to try and wrest some truth from her. But the red headed Gym Leader didn't look like she was in an understanding mood. In fact, she looked ready to kill something. She stared back at them with a stubborn, hostile expression, challenging them to explain themselves. May was pretty sure she could see steam starting to shoot out from her ears.

Dawn threw May a sharp look – this was her idea, after all – and May cleared her throat awkwardly. 'Misty, we, uh, want to talk to you,' she began lamely.

'About Ash,' Misty shot back immediately, her voice stiff and guarded.

'Er – yes,' May replied, momentarily wrong-footed by Misty's apparent full, if chilly, cooperation. She shot Dawn a confused look but the mention of Ash had broken the ice, and May began to warm to her topic as the memories of the previous day's events flooded back in earnest.

'Yes, about Ash,' she continued in a stronger voice. 'We're really not happy with the way you've been treating him. I mean, you dumped him for Gary Oak of all people, without even telling him first! How could you do something like that to him?'

Dawn jumped in. 'Seriously, Misty, we thought you were his friend! Heck, we thought you were in love with him! But you can't be, if you could be so cruel as to just drop him when it suited you for his worst enemy?'

'Yes, and we think you really ought to explain yourself, because we care about Ash too! He – '

'Stop it,' Misty hissed abruptly, slamming her fist down on the mottled surface between the sinks so hard that the entire fixture rattled. Her expression was murderous, her hair almost crackling with electric indignation as she stepped dangerously towards the two girls. May shut up instantly and Dawn blanched, unconsciously sidling closer to May. It seemed as if they were going to get their first taste of Misty's infamous temper.

'You don't know anything, okay?' Misty snarled. 'You have no idea what happened, what I've been going through, and if you just blindly believed that I would drop Ash for financial gain or to up my social status or whatever other insane rumors have been going around this place, then you're no loss as friends in the end anyway! And in case either of you dare forget, I've known Ash for longer then either of you, so don't you dare say that I don't care about him. You have no idea what we've been through together!'

'Then how could you do something like that to him?' May demanded. She wasn't going to let Misty's intimidating pallor stop her from defending Ash.

Misty hesitated for a fraction of a second, and then seemed to think better of it. 'That's none of your business!' she snapped harshly. 'That's between me and Ash!'

'That's a load of – of – nonsense!' May shouted, going red. 'You don't have an explanation, that's what's up! You didn't deserve him in the first place!'

'It's a good thing he has Daisy to comfort him,' Dawn put in scathingly. 'He jumped at the chance to ask her out, and since you're being so straight and honest about this, maybe he's better off with her after all!' (Dang, pretty intense stuff right here. Ha,ha)

Dawn knew she was treading a dangerous line and braced herself for an explosive response, but the detonation never came. Misty froze like an ice sculpture at the mention of Gary's sister, her glacial expression shattering into a million pieces. The rage and resentment evaporated instantly from her expression as she crumbled inward, tears spilling out from her lower eyelashes.

May and Dawn exchanged a horror struck look as their iron-willed friend fought to compose herself. Too late, May trod hard on Dawn's pink booted toes, but Dawn barely noticed. She was too busy staring as Misty swallowed thickly and swiped at the betraying beads streaming down her cheeks. And in that moment, Dawn knew that May had been right after all. There was no way that Misty had acted so cruelly under her own volition. There was something going on that Misty wasn't telling them.

'Misty, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it,' Dawn gabbled desperately as she stumbled forward and put her hand on Misty's arm. Misty flinched at the contact but she didn't pull away. 'Please, I'm sorry, just tell us what happened, we'll help you sort it out, we'll help you get Ash back…'

Misty let out a tiny squeak and tried to twist away but May darted forward and gripped her shoulder. 'Misty, please, we can't help unless we know what's going on,' she urged. 'We won't tell anyone else, not even Ash, we promise!' Dawn nodded anxiously.

But Misty just shook her head violently, her lower lip trembling as she backed away from the two people in the school willing to help her.

'I can't,' she mumbled. 'I can't, I'll ruin everything, he'll ruin everything…'

'Who'll ruin everything?' Dawn said urgently. 'Ash? He's angry with you now, but if you just explain why you did it, I'm sure he'll understand, I'm sure he'll forgive you…'

But Misty wasn't giving in to them that easily. There was too much at risk for that. 'I can't,' she repeated thickly. 'I can't tell you anything, and if I do…' She pursed her lips tightly together and blinked rapidly. 'I just can't,' she finished helplessly.

'But why can't you tell us?' May demanded.

'I can't tell you that either,' Misty mumbled, shaking free of their grasps. 'And if you want to do something for me, please don't ask me to tell you again, because if I do my life will be even worse than it is now. So please just…let me be. And keep an eye on Ash.'

Her eyes began to fill again and she bit her lip sharply to stop the tears from escaping. 'I have to go now,' she muttered. And with that she turned and fled the bathrooms.

The slam of the door echoed ominously through the silent room. Dawn turned to look at May. 'And what the heck was that all about?' Dawn demanded, her voice strained.

'I have no idea,' May replied, her expression dazed. 'But I think now would be an excellent time for me to say "I told you so."'

*****

Ash was not having a good day. Yesterday had been much the same, the day before even worse – though his previous Friday bore a horror all of its own. In fact, Ash had spent most of this Monday morning hoping desperately that he would wake up and discover that the last four days had been nothing more than a psychologically-scarring nightmare, in which his deepest fears had come terrifyingly true with an inexplicably Freudian twist. But no, the facts remained clear and irrefutable, the proof right in front of his eyes: since the end of last week he had lost the love of his life to his worst enemy and in turn gained the company of the most annoying female specimen he had ever had the misfortune to meet.

Not that Ash could, or would, complain about that latter part; he had, after all, brought it ever so slightly upon himself.

But Ash's greatest battle was still being fought, with everyone he passed in the halls or shared his classes with as silent, unknowing witnesses. Ash Ketchum had taken it upon himself to prove to the entire school that he truly did not care.

He sauntered the halls with an oily swagger, catcalling to passing females and greeting his fellow men with a sort of lofty disdain, smiling languidly at those who hailed him with enthusiasm. There were a select few who dared to challenge him, if only with a silent gleam of malicious glee in their eyes, but they were glared down with such hostility that they soon learned to dive into a nearby classroom whenever Ash made an appearance.

But the worst were those who offered their unconditional pity, both with smiles and with words. Ash grew to detest them above all. They would draw him aside and offer their sympathies, or nod kindly as they passed him, and for their compassion they received nothing but the brunt of Ash's fury. He lashed out at them with a tidal wave of rage and confusion behind him, berating them so fiercely for their misplaced kindness that Ash was on his way to earning a reputation equitable to Gary's.

Drew and Paul stuck by him, perhaps the only people in the school that understood what this hurt meant to Ash, but it took all their love and loyalty to do so. In public, Ash was almost unbearably cool and smooth, chatting idly with them about anything that did not concern Misty, Gary or the loss of important Pokémon battles. When he was assured that people were in hearing range he would boast loudly to them of his conquest of Daisy Oak, avoiding their eyes as he touted her many perfections.

In private he refused to discuss Misty at all, flying into a rage when they attempted to offer their sympathy or advice on the matter. They had spent the entire weekend with him, apart from the hours when May and Dawn had come to visit, and in all that time they had failed to wrest Misty's name from his lips. He had drifted between a bright, perky façade for his mother, blind fury when questioned, and a depression-induced stupor that no amount of insults, jokes or attempts at understanding would shake him out of.

Paul and Drew were at their wits end, and yet still Ash continued. He flirted disgustingly with Daisy at every opportunity, and she lapped up the attention like a pampered show dog. He went out of his way to ignore Misty's existence, looking through her when they shared a class and blanking her in the hallways. He also failed to acknowledge Gary, who thankfully, having gotten what he most dearly desired, had reverted back to his ago old strategy of ignoring Ash completely, as if it was beneath him to taunt such a base and helpless being.

And so Ash continued. It was only Tuesday, mere days before the Doubleteam League, but the event held no shine for him now. It would be a month before he had the chance of beating Gary in an even battle, and so resurrect some of his battered dignity, and without the chance of running his hated rival into the ground, Ash could summon no enthusiasm for the whimsical event. As for the dance, it is safe to say that Ash was dreading it with every fiber of his being.

But it was that Tuesday that Ash's crushed ego took yet another beating. The day before he had witnessed, with surprise and vindictive delight, Misty enter the lunchroom, purchase nothing but a bottle of water and an apple, and flee from the room crowded with gossiping strangers. Today he looked forward to the unusual spectacle with sadistic eagerness, the only bright spot in his day. He felt that given the hand Misty had dealt him, it was his right to enjoy her experience a little humiliation.

Ash had not successfully satisfied himself as to why she did not sit with Gary; the best he had come up with was that to sit with Gary meant to sit with Daisy. And though even his ex-best friend's hatred of her new man's sister did not quite explain her reluctance away, Ash chose not to dwell on it. After all, he told himself, what Misty did was none of his concern.

That day she entered rather later than everyone else, and the line at the lunch counter was already dwindling. It was mere seconds before she was being served and Ash watched with furtive interest what she chose – soda, a bag of chips and a candy bar. Much more Misty than water and an apple, Ash thought sardonically as he waited for the delicious sight of her hasty entrance.

Misty had already turned and was making, deceptively quickly, for the doors, when she was waylaid by a pursuer. It took Ash a few seconds to realize that it was Dawn.

Ash watched with bubbling indignation as the blunette escorted Misty back to the table where she had once sat in comfort, and where May was waiting. The three girls exchanged a very few words before seemingly falling into a stiff silence.

Ash, naturally, was infuriated. He simmered all the way through lunch, failing to mention it to the stoic Drew and Paul, though he was sure that they had noticed. He could hardly believe what he was seeing. He had assumed that when May and Dawn had come to visit over the weekend, they had come to offer their support, and he was regretting refusing to hear them speak at the time. He was furious to know what exact argument they had fashioned to excuse their newer friend from the blame she so richly deserved.

By the time he cornered them outside Advanced Training, Ash had decided that the only logical explanation was that the two Coordinators had been plagued with short term memory loss. But when aggressively questioned the two girls failed to prove his theory correct. Instead they simply exchanged uneasy glances and spun a line about staying neutral in he and Misty's fall out, as technically, they were friends with both parties and so unable to make an unbiased decision as to who was in the right.

Ash was enraged that they would choose to take the middle ground when Misty was so clearly at fault, but he wouldn't allow himself to say that. He also didn't break down and cry and insist that it was not a fall out but a deep, agonizing betrayal, though he very much wanted to. No. Instead, Ash maturely told his two best female friends that he didn't need them and they could rot in hell for all he cared, before stalking away with a flounce that would have made Daisy Oak proud.

But Ash was not as impervious as he was making himself out to be. He watched the threesome resentfully all the way through Advanced Training and what he saw confused him greatly. An obvious change had come upon the dynamics of the usually cheerful group, and Ash could not figure out why. May and Dawn were certainly willing to share their lunch table and Advanced Training desk with Misty, that was for sure, and yet a tangible chilliness hung in the air above the three girls. There was no conversation and certainly no laughter and the two Coordinators appeared to give Misty a certain amount of space. But yet it was a respectful gesture rather than a resentful one, borne of an uneasy, unspoken truce built around the silent acknowledgement of an unshared secret. Ash couldn't fathom it at all.

The thing that made Ash most angry about May and Dawn's centrist stance was that the whole school bore witness to it. Everyone noticed and assumed that they had chosen to side with Misty, despite their reluctance the week day before, and that made Ash's self-appointed burden so much harder to carry. He wasn't sure how much longer he could bear it.

*****

Wednesday rolled in with tangible reluctance and Paul found himself in an irritatingly familiar situation. Ash had left them in the dust for the honor of escorting Daisy; and since Drew had battled in the Battle Complex that day, the two young men were left to walk to lunch together. Paul's battle had run late (his opponent, a freshman transfer, had been so bowled over by his intimidating visage that she had experienced some trouble with choosing her Pokemon in any sort of acceptable time frame) and it was already well into lunch period, so the halls were all but deserted. Drew didn't seem to mind. Emboldened by the brief absence of the unpredictable Ash he was using his few moments of verbal freedom to give Paul a blow by blow account of his last match, a habit he was annoyingly apt at upholding. And clearly he had achieved victory with more than his usual unnecessary flourish, for he was attempting to convince Paul that he had intimidated his opponent into conceding defeat two Pokemon early.

'Seriously, this guy was as dumb as a rock,' Drew was saying smugly. 'I mean, sending out a Voltorb against my Roserade? Talk about setting yourself up for defeat!'

Paul exhaled sharply. 'Drew, can you shut up now? You see, I really don't care about your dumb-as-a-rock opponent's Voltorb. I don't care about your battle, period!'

'And then he tried a Thundershock as his first attack!' Drew continued obliviously, chuckling in appreciation of his own brilliance. 'I mean, even Ash knows better than to send an electric type against a half Grass type, right?'

'Drew, seriously, I – '

'I thought about giving him a chance and using Bullet Seed or something easy like that, but then I was like, nahhh, and got Roserade to use Solar Beam and seriously, the thing just keeled over and died – '

'DREW!' Paul yelled, smacking the Coordinator in the back of the head. 'Let me get this straight: I – do – not – care! Get that into your thick head, before it gets so heavy that you can't get out of bed in the morning, never mind stand up straight!'

Drew scowled heavily, rubbing the back of his head. 'You're just jealous,' he sniffed loftily, sticking his nose in the air.

Paul let out a silent howl and his fingers shot out with the intent of wrapping themselves around Drew's neck and squeezing – hard. But just as he was positioned to strike, out of the corner of his eye Paul caught sight of something infinity more interesting than the prospect of strangling Drew to death.

Gary had just appeared out from a classroom some ways up ahead, his signature strut the picture of self assurance as he ambled down the hall. Daisy trailed after him, and if the high pitched whine emitting from her mouth was anything to go by, she wasn't happy. Ash was nowhere to be seen.

Drew had anticipated some sort of violent response from Paul, and when no punch or slap came forth, he decided to provoke one. But Paul was too quick for him. He reached out and grabbed his arm and before Drew could protest, pointed in the direction of the two figures.

Drew forgot all about trying to pick a fight with Paul, his green eyes flashing as he glared at the two hated persons. The two boys looked at each other, exchanged a covert head nod, and began creeping down the hall towards the squabbling pair. It was a dangerous move, they both knew, for Gary was sure to tell the whole school if he caught them eavesdropping, but it was an opportunity they couldn't pass up. Paul was counting on the Oaks being too wrapped up in their argument to notice them.

'Relax, Daisy,' Gary said just as they came within hearing range. 'You're blowing this way out of proportion! Ash is never going to find out!'

'You don't understand,' his older sister hissed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. 'If he does he'll leave me in the dust for that carrot-haired freak show, and how is that going to make me look, huh?'

'Daisy, will you chill out already?' Gary sighed irritably. 'Let me repeat this for you one more time – Ash is never going to find out. I've got Red on a string. She's convinced that if she puts one toe out of line I'll spill her little secret to Ash and that he'll hate her even more than he does now!'

Gary snorted. 'Not that I'd ever be that stupid – seriously, she might be hot but the girl is as dim as Ash himself.'

'Would you please not insult my boyfriend?' Daisy said haughtily.

'He's not your boyfriend yet, is he?' Gary contested easily with a wicked grin.

'It's only a matter of time,' Daisy replied dismissively, unmoved. 'But it's never going to happen if he finds out about your little deal with Little Miss Gym Leader!'

'I don't see why you're so desperate to go out with him,' Gary remarked idly. 'I mean, the guy's an idiot! He's stupid enough not to realize that Red's been drooling over him for the last million years – he probably doesn't even remember your name!'

Daisy shot Gary a venomous glance. 'You wouldn't understand,' she repeated scornfully.

Gary scowled. 'Enlighten me,' he drawled darkly, glaring at his sister.

Daisy smirked victoriously. 'Well, once Ash defeats you again, he'll – '

'That's not going to happen!' Gary shouted immediately, his cheeks turning an angry red.

'Shhhh!' Daisy growled, glancing frantically around to make sure there was no one in the vicinity. Paul and Drew bid a hasty retreat into the shadow of a deep set doorway to escape her piercing stare. Satisfied that no one was around, Daisy turned back to her brother. Gary's shoulders were stiff with annoyance.

'Look Gary, the point is – '

'The point is, I'm doing you a favor!' Gary interrupted angrily. 'Ash is only going out with you to make Misty jealous!'

'Well Misty's only going out with you because you forced her to!' Daisy retorted. 'At least I didn't have to blackmail Ash into asking me out!'

'Will you shut up, Daisy?' Gary snarled. 'I'm sorry that my brilliant plan doesn't meet your moral standards, low though they may be, but that's not my problem! The point is, when all this is over I'll have Ash's girl and Ash's Champion title! What more could I ask for? And a little advantage of my genius plan is that you get Ash all vulnerable and scared so you can play the comforting girlfriend, or whatever the heck it is you do. You get what you want, I get what I want and Ash and Misty never know the difference. So will you stop nagging at me and start offering monetary payment for my excellent services? Because the truth is, I am so sick and tired of your whining that I'm on the verge of telling Ash that you're only dating him because he's the ex-Champion!'

There was a pause.

'He's still the Champion!' Daisy insisted sourly, defeated.

Gary growled again and, turning away from his sister, stalked furiously down the hall towards the lunchroom. Daisy trailed after him.

'I didn't mean it, Gary! Please, just make sure Ash doesn't find out about what you did to Misty…' Her voice trailed away as she vanished around a corner.

Silence descended upon the deserted hallway, but it was a few seconds before Paul and Drew cautiously poked their heads from the sanctuary of their useful doorway.

'They're gone,' Paul affirmed as he looked up and down the hallway, checking that no one else had been privy to the Oaks' private conversation.

'State the obvious, why don't you?' Drew muttered tightly, stumbling out of the niche.

Paul ignored him. 'Well, I guess we should have known,' he said dryly. 'Gary really is a bad loser. Who would have thought he'd go that far to get one over Ash?'

'I know, that was…enlightening,' Drew muttered, blinking rapidly. 'Poor Misty, she must be going crazy.'

Paul paused, the corners of his mouth twitching. 'You just learned that word from Gary, didn't you?'

Drew kicked him in the shins and took off like the wind down the hall.

*****

After Paul had apologized for inferring that Drew was stupid (from the safety of Drew's choke hold), the two young men agreed, out of necessity, on a truce, and formulated a plan of action. In doing so, they showed themselves to be just as sensible as the girls they wished they were dating. Instead of running to confront Gary or break the news to Ash, they did the most intelligent thing there was to do. They confronted Misty.

Misty, whose nerves were already frayed from her encounter with May and Dawn, almost had a heart attack when Drew stopped her in the hallway on the way to Advanced Training. He had popped up with unnerving dexterity just as she split from May and Dawn to visit her locker, and she quickly surmised that he had stalked her all the way from the lunchroom. But when he told her what he wanted she followed meekly, hoping that Paul wasn't waiting somewhere with an executioner's ax. Misty didn't scare too easily but she figured that Ash's friends couldn't exactly be very happy with her as of right now.

But she was determined to go with Drew. Though she did not relish the prospect of a confrontation with Paul, which could only result in a verbal beating in which she would be unable to defend herself, she hoped that she could turn the situation to her advantage. Though it was impossible for her to reveal anything, Misty figured that if she could make a good impression of Drew and Paul, perhaps they would carry a favorable account of her back to Ash, and that could only be a good thing.

And then there was that little voice in the back of her head which told her in a hopeful voice that maybe, just maybe, Ash would be there too.

Drew brought her to a quiet corner where a little group of stiff backed chairs stood for students to use during breaks, and Misty's heart sank. Paul was waiting for them, sitting rigidly in his seat and eyeing her with the venerable impassivity of a court judge. But as she drew closer he rose to his feet, his voice almost kind when he spoke.

'Hello, Misty,' he said gravely. 'We decided it would be less intimidating if just one of us waylaid you, so I hope you do not feel like you were brought here on false premises.'

Misty stared blankly at him for a second, wondering detachedly how someone as perky and upbeat as Dawn could fall head over heels for someone so staid and serious. Staring at Paul's solemn countenance, she was suddenly seized with the wonderful momentary urge to laugh – and judging from the look on Drew's face, so was he.

'Er, no, not at all,' she mumbled, biting her lip and willing the corners of her mouth to behave as she seated herself in the chair Paul indicated.

Drew shifted a chair so he and Paul were both facing Misty, and sat down. The gesture reminded Misty uncomfortably of how criminals were interrogated on TV crime shows, and the desire to smile disappeared. She sent a silent prayer to Arceus begging for the strength to survive this interview without breaking down, or revealing anything she wasn't supposed to.

'Misty, we would like to ask you a few questions, if that is okay with you,' Paul began, his eyes daring her to defy him.

'Yes, that is fine,' Misty replied sharply, mimicking Paul's formality with a glare. She found now that she resented their obvious desire to pry into her private business, though she knew it was only for the sake of their best friend. But for Misty, there was too much at stake to be at ease. One slip and these two boys would carry conflicting stories back to Ash and if Gary ever found out, she was finished.

Paul's eyebrows rose infinitesimally at her suspicion but he didn't comment. 'Before we begin, I would like to set a few things straight. Approximately two weeks ago you accepted an invitation to the Halloween dance on Friday from Ash Ketchum. Is that correct?'

Misty gritted her teeth and resisted the urge to kill Paul and then cry. 'Yes, that is correct,' she ground out.

'And yet last Friday, you also accepted an invitation from a certain Gary Oak – without telling Ash that you no longer desired his company as you had made alternate plans. Correct?'

'Correct,' Misty echoed icily.

'And your long term friendship with said Ash Ketchum has deteriorated rapidly as a result of this…' Paul paused delicately, searching for the right word, 'betrayal. Correct?'

Misty snapped. 'What is this, the Spanish Inquisition?' she demanded. 'It's none of your business what I do and who I do it with, do you hear me? I followed you here,' she gestured sharply at Drew 'because I thought you had something useful to say, but there's no way I'm going to sit around and be abused like this! So if you'll excuse me, I'll just be leaving now!'

She rose jauntily to her feet and glared furiously at the two unrepentant faces, pursing her lips together to stop them from shaking. But Paul and Drew remained unmoved; they simply exchanged a satisfied smile.

'WHAT?' she howled, balling her fists and willing herself to get a grip. It would do her standing with Ash no good if she gave one of his best friends a black eye. Her temper was just so close to the surface these days, her emotions and moods more unpredictable than ever. She needed to regain control before she did something she would regret.

'Misty, please forgive my rudeness, it was merely to test a theory,' Paul said, a shade of a smile still lingering on his face. 'You have now proved our hypothesis right, and we would be honored if you would remain with us just a little longer. We have some issues to raise with you, and it my personal belief that you will be greatly interested to hear them. You will not be insulted again – you have my word on this.'

Misty stared in abject amazement at the two boys, who both looked steadily back. They defied her understanding. She had expected a total verbal throwdown – that at least she could fight against. This cool, clinical attitude threw her for a loop. But it was the promise of information that Misty could not resist. Giving in to her curiosity, Misty sat back in her chair with dignity, tossing her hair over her shoulders.

There was a brief silence. 'I'd really appreciate it if you started talking,' Misty said tersely, glaring at Paul. 'Now.'

Paul's eyes glittered with humor but he thought it wisest to obey her command. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped short when he received a sharp poke in the arm. He turned and shot Drew a death glare but shut up accordingly.

Drew leaned forward in his chair, his face unusually serious. 'Okay Misty, here's the deal. Yesterday we were walking to lunch and we overheard Gary and Daisy talking, and Daisy basically said that Gary somehow tricked or blackmailed you into being his date. Is that correct?' he finished with emphasis, shooting Paul a little amused glance.

For a moment Misty merely blinked, staring dimly at the two boys who held her in casual hostage. For the first time in her life, she was utterly speechless. She fought to assimilate the consequences of Drew's little revelation. 'Um…' she stuttered thickly. Lie, you idiot, lie! She thought frantically. 'Um, no…er, no, no! That's not true at all! You must have misunderstood him, Gary would never say something like that!'

Drew cocked an eyebrow, unimpressed. 'Gary also mentioned that he knew something about you that you didn't want Ash to know, and that you were under the impression that if you told anyone about Gary's little hold on you, he would spill the secret to Ash. Is that correct?'

Misty was struck dumb again, reeling with shock. 'No!' she began to insist, her voice growing hysterical. 'No, you've got it all wrong, I wanted to go with Gary! Yes, I wanted to go with him and…and I didn't want to go with Ash! Yeah! There was no deal or blackmail or anything…and anyway, this is none of your business!' She made to get out of her seat again.

'I don't know why I'm discussing this with you two, of all people, I – '

'Misty.' Paul's voice was so commanding that Misty jumped like she'd been electrocuted, sinking unconsciously back into her seat. 'Your denials only confirm that what Gary said was the truth. Please, do no attempt to deny it.'

Misty's mind was racing as Paul continued. 'Though we were grieved to infer that you had suffered so much at the hands of your charming new partner, we also rejoiced, for Gary's words offered a hope that we had not dared to believe existed. He blackmailed or tricked you into agreeing to be his date – that indicates that you never desired to go with him in the first place, does it not?'

When Misty failed to reply Paul continued. 'And so, we are eager to believe that this discovery proves that you mean Ash no harm and continue to harbor a romantic attachment to him, yes?'

Misty's head shot up and she glared fiercely at Paul. 'That's none of your business!'

Drew scoffed. 'Oh please, Misty. Everybody knows – even idiots like Gary, and if he was able to figure it out, then why shouldn't we?'

But Misty was barely listening. She was beginning to see where Drew and Paul were going with this. 'Please,' she said immediately. 'Please don't tell him – about me or about Gary or anything!'

'We would never do such a thing without your consent,' Paul put in. 'This affair is, as you pointed out, between you and Ash, just as the details of what went down with Gary are between you and him. Drew and I just happened to get caught in the middle, and since your true position in the matter is of some interest to us, we sought to confirm it. I am glad, it must be said, that your intention was not to break Ash's heart, though I do not even want to imagine what secret Gary threatened to tell. Whatever it was, it must have been of vital importance to you if you were willing to risk your friendship with Ash to protect it.'

Misty turned red and was about to tell Paul to shut his mouth when Drew jumped back in. 'Yeah, we're not going to tell him because you should definitely do that yourself.'

'What?!' Misty gasped. 'I'm not going to do that! Do you think I worked so hard to keep this a secret from Ash for my own amusement? That is my deal with Gary! If Ash finds out anything my life will be over!'

Paul's face darkened. 'What do you mean, your life will be over? Misty, has Gary threatened you physically?'

'No!' Misty shouted. 'I made a wager with Gary over our last Pokemon battle, okay? If I won, he was going to keep quiet about…y'know Ash. And, er – me. Uhh, yeah. But I lost, and now I'm stuck as Gary's date and if I tell Ash or anyone what happened, Gary's going to tell Ash that I'm in love with him!'

Misty shut up suddenly, her face turning beet red, but Paul and Drew just stared at her in amazement. 'That's it?' Drew said incredulously. 'That's what Gary's got over you? That you like Ash? Heck, I thought it was going to something juicy – something I don't already know! Well, girl, your problems are over! Tell Ash what happened and that you want to be his date instead, and Gary's plan backfires right in his face!'

'You don't understand,' Misty moaned, tears pricking at her eyes. 'I can't tell Ash. He'll hate me even more than he does now!'

'No he won't, you crazy girl! Are you blind or something??? He likes you too, you'll be telling him exactly what he's been hoping to hear since he woke up and realized what's been staring him in the face for years! You guys can push Gary off a cliff and then run off and get married and have lots of Pokémon-obsessed children!'

But Misty was incapable of hearing them. Seven long years of self-doubt and self-protection had taught her that. 'You have to promise me that you won't tell Ash, do you hear?' she insisted manically. 'Promise?'

'Misty, - '

'Promise!'

'Ash is crazy about – '

'Promise!'

'Fine, we promise!' Paul conceded loudly. 'We won't tell Ash! But please, Misty, for your own good and Ash's, think about what we said! He likes you! You could get everything you want if you'd just believe us!'

But Misty was already scrambling to her feet. 'If you tell him, I'll get Gyarados to roast you alive!' she threatened.

'Didn't we just say that we wouldn't tell him?' Drew roared.

Misty ignored him. 'I have to go,' she mumbled, and dodging out from the maze of chairs, she fled down the hall with the intention of heading to Nurse Joy and faking sick for the afternoon.

Drew stared after her resentfully. 'We try and help her and what do we get? A telling off! Women, honestly!'

'It's to be expected, Drew,' Paul murmured, watching as Misty disappeared down a flight of stairs. 'According to Brock, she's been harboring feelings for Ash for about seven years. If you keep something like that inside for that long, it only grows more potent – and more difficult to conceal. She's spent the last seven years telling herself that Ash will never like her, and she's come to believe it entirely. So imagine her distress when someone threatens to tell him what she's never been able to say herself. She'd do anything to stop that from happening, including risking her friendship with him.'

There was a pause. 'I guess that's true,' Drew conceded reluctantly. 'Since when are you so girl savvy?'

Paul grinned. 'Ash taught me.'

Drew burst out laughing.

*****

So there you have it, peeps – the end of another chapter. It was fun to give some of the secondary characters a bigger role and this will continue into the next chapter and beyond. I like writing Drew and Paul best, but May and Dawn are fun as well. So, the critical question – will Ash ever clue in to what's going on, or will he just throw up a little when Daisy puts the moves on him? Will Paul and Drew be able to save him from her evil clutches? Will Misty have a nervous breakdown? Will Dawn and May ever recover enough to throw another dorm party? Will Gary return with a vengeance? I think yes is the answer we're looking for to that last one :) Thanks for reading, you lovely people!

Song Inspiration: Sakura Kiss by Chieko Kawabe. Well, it didn't exactly inspire this chapter but it's what I imagines May and Dawn to be listening to on their first night at Pokemon High.

**Review Replies:**

Thank you thank you thank you! I think it's safe to say that this story would be dead and gone without all of your support. I appreciate every single one of you, and it still thrills me that you would take the time to express how much you are enjoying this. I promise I'm doing my best to get this story finished as soon as possible, for all of your sakes. You all rock my world!!


	17. Work This Out

I can't believe this is happening.

This chapter was borne of some sort of miracle. On the day I posted my last chapter, I read through some of the wonderful comments I received for Chapter Fifteen, and after I had done that, I read through some of my older chapters. And then…I began to write. I was at it for hours, and I got over five thousand words down in one day, which must be some sort of personal record. The next day I picked right up where I'd left off the night before. All in all, it took just three days for this chapter to be complete, though I did have small parts of it already written. I can hardly believe it myself – though don't expect it to happen again. Though I do find that as soon I write something for this story, I want to share it with you all.

Thank you very much to my lovely beta **Texas Longhorn** for his excellent input into this chapter. I don't really have the heart to be my usual cruel self to him, because this week he betaed TWO chapters for me while working on his story _A New Journey_, and gave me far too much credit for helping him with his latest installment (if you're not reading his story as well I can only assume that you have been hiding under a rock for the last six months.) He even got this one back to me the day he updated and everything. So despite how much I hate you TL, this week you pretty much rocked my world. There, I said it. Now I have to go throw up.

Enough of my babbling; enjoy, my lovely readers!

Warning: Spoilers ahead for _Twilight, New Moon _and _Mean Girls._ I know, right?

Chapter Seventeen: Work This Out

Paul sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair as Professor Oak rambled on and on about the advantages of Fire over Ice, scrawling a complicated diagram on the whiteboard which included a rather lifelike caricature of a Charizard. Drew was slumped in the chair beside him, looking equally fascinated with the current lecture. The Professor was a good teacher and Paul was sure this lesson was as interesting as usual, but he could not summon the energy to listen. He had too many other things on his mind.

Paul and Drew had caused something of a stir half an hour before, by bursting into Advanced Training twenty minutes late - with no viable excuse. The Professor was not impressed. Though usually remarkably laid back and understanding, especially with his favored Advanced Training pupils, the Professor gave them both a public dressing down – and an after school detention. Deeming them suitably chastised, he allowed the two boys to slink to their seats – but not before questioning them over Misty's whereabouts. The redhead had also failed to show for class. They feigned ignorance.

Arriving at their table in the corner, the already harassed pair was greeted by a very sulky Ash. He had endured half a class period at a table by himself (May and Dawn had not dared join him) as well as many pointed smirks from Gary Oak, and the experience had not gratified his ego. He stomped out of class ten minutes after their arrival under the pretence of going to the bathroom, but Paul, knowing Ash better than that, suspected the raven-haired trainer had gone to suss out exactly where Misty had vanished off to.

But let it not be thought that Paul was wasting this valuable time without Ash. He and Drew had already held one whispered argument over what was the next best move, but they could come to no agreement. Drew was holding out for telling Ash and though Paul agreed that this was by far the most sensible option, he maintained that they could not break Misty's trust like that.

'She'll be thanking us when she's making out with Ash!' Drew had insisted stubbornly. And though Paul could not argue with that, he would not budge. He had promised Misty they wouldn't tell Ash and, much as it pained him, he would not go back on his word.

'You come up with a better idea, then!' Drew had hissed, discouraged. Paul had taken him up on his challenge but so far, no other possible solution came to mind. He racked his brain, replaying his conversation with Misty over and over again while absent-mindedly watching Dawn, who seemed to be embroiled in some sort of silent dispute with May. And as he recalled the promise he and Drew had made assuring Misty of their secrecy, Paul realized a discrepancy he had failed to note before.

'Drew,' he muttered, leaning closer to his companion. 'We promised Misty we wouldn't tell Ash, right?'

'I think we've established that already,' Drew replied acidly.

'But she didn't cite any limitations on the idea of us telling someone else, right? She specified Ash, and Ash only. So with all things taken into account, we are free to tell whoever we please, right?'

Drew blinked. 'Uh, yeah, I guess,' he mumbled. 'But why on earth would we want to tell anyone else? It would get back to Ash anyway and that would be just as bad as telling him ourselves…or is that the idea?' he finished eagerly.

Paul shook his head. 'I would still consider that an infringement of the promise we gave Misty – and what if Gary heard it before Ash? Who knows what he'd do.'

Drew sighed in exasperation. 'Then what good is it that we can tell anyone but Ash?'

'I thought that if we told someone – or some _people _– who we know can be trusted and who ultimately have Ash and Misty's best interests at heart, they could perhaps help us navigate a solution.'

Drew looked unimpressed. 'And who do we know who's like that? This whole place is crawling with gossips and fan girls! Everyone's out for a bit of drama and with info like that, you can be sure it would get out. They'd have to be completely trustworthy – and, come to think about it, they'd have to be friends with both Ash and Misty so that…'

Drew trailed off as Paul raised an eyebrow pointedly, and he finally grasped who his friend was inferring. 'Oh no you don't, Lawyer Boy, over my dead body…'

*****

Dawn dragged May out of the Advanced Training classroom, her face set with determination.

'Dawn, I am not going along with this. I love Ash and Misty good and well but seriously, this is crossing the line. I demand to have my rights as a female recognized, I will not endure any more humiliation at the hands of that creep - '

'Oh, pack it in already, May!' Dawn said exasperatedly. 'We need help and you know it, and since there's no one else we can trust not to spill the beans, will you just try to be civilized for once?'

May yanked her wrist from Dawn's steely grip, drew herself up to her full height and straightened her bandana with dignity. 'I will if he will,' she muttered unwillingly.

'Good. Now quit your whining and follow me. We need to catch them before they reach detention.'

Dawn took off down the hall, weaving expertly in and out of the heaving student masses. May trailed reluctantly behind her, surreptitiously pulling her skirt straight. But as they encroached on the block of lockers, May grabbed Dawn's arm, pulling her back.

'Let me handle this,' she said grimly. And with that, she tensed her shoulders, threw her head back and marched up to the boy sifting through the contents of his locker. As soon as she was within hearing range, she spoke, her voice brittle and sharp.

'We need to talk to you two.'

Drew, his head buried in the hopeless quagmire that was his locker, had not seen her approach. Yelping at the sudden interruption of his intent search for a drowning textbook, he jumped sideways and smacked his head on the open door of his locker.

May couldn't help it. She snickered rudely as he stumbled backwards, his eyes widening in shock as he realized who his aggressor was. She almost wanted to admire how quickly he righted himself, smoothing his static hair and striking an aggressive pose.

'Oh, hey May,' he started with honeyed sweetness, folding his arms tightly. 'I just knew you couldn't keep away from me - come to beg for some advice from the Master?'

May's face blackened instantly. 'I didn't come here to massage your ego, moron' she snapped, balling her hands into fists. She knew Drew was being his usual, jerky self, but the situation between the two made his flippant attitude seem ten times more annoying and selfish. 'We came to warn you about something that's hurting your best friend, but as you obviously don't think it's worth your time listening to anything I say, then I don't think I'll bother!'

Dawn stepped in, trying to salvage the deteriorating situation with an appealing glance to at Paul, who was watching her with curious eyes, but it was too late. May twisted on her heel and made to stalk away.

But as she turned, hurt and shame welling painfully in her chest, she felt a grip of steel reach out and latch itself onto her arm just above her elbow where her shirt met her skin. She froze at the unexpected contact, turning slowly back around to face her assailant with a shell-shocked expression.

Drew was looking at the floor, scuffing the tired linoleum with his toe. 'Sorry,' he muttered, not meeting her eye. When she failed to reply he risked a glance at her face and saw she was staring at him with wondrous eyes, her arm limp in his sharp grip. He seemed to realize this and dropped her limb like he'd been burnt, his face flushing crimson.

Ignoring the two Coordinators who had lapsed into a hopeless silence, Paul stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Dawn. She looked back at him, her eyes dancing with humor as she glanced at the flushed pair from out of the corner of her eye. It was really quite amusing, given just how much lying May did about her feelings for Drew.

'Is this about Ash?' Paul asked seriously.

'Welll…yes and no,' Dawn replied, her face sobering. 'It's about Misty.'

Paul nodded. 'Same thing, really,'

Dawn smiled, her insides fluttering. 'I guess.'

'What's wrong?'

Dawn looked at May, who was doggedly doing her best to avoid eye contact with her green-haired counterpart. 'It's sort of complicated,' she began, suddenly unsure of how much to reveal and whether this was a good idea after all.

Paul nodded gravely. 'I know.'

Dawn paused, tipping her head to the side. 'You do?' she asked curiously.

'I know perhaps even more than you do, for if you knew what I know, you would have given her your full forgiveness. This you withhold from her. You believe whatever she has told you so far, and yet you retain some of your uncertainties. You do not yet know her story in its entirety.'

Dawn's eyes widened and she shot May an alarmed look, which the brunette reciprocated in full. 'How do you know that?' she demanded.

'Nobody told me, if that's what you think. It was easy to discern, judging from the changes in your behavior towards her.'

Dawn gaped, a pink-tinted blush spreading over her cheeks and nose as she blinked dimly up at the gorgeous boy in front of her. Paul shut up suddenly as he realized what he had just said, a deep flush creeping up his neck and spreading to his ears.

Way to show yourself as a stalker, Paul, he thought sardonically.

Sensing that Paul was not in any fit state for conversation, especially with Dawn, Drew tried to step gallantly up to the mark. But May beat him to it.

'Are you going to tell us what you know or what?' she demanded, her embarrassment overtaken by inquisitiveness.

'Oh, uh…yeah, yeah!' Drew assured her. 'We'll tell you right now, as soon as everyone-' He was interrupted by a static hum that burst from the speaker above him, and Nurse Joy's cheery voice rang out over the Tannoy system.

'Will Paul Ikari and Andrew Hayden please report to Classroom 3B immediately? That's Paul Ikari and Andrew Hayden. Thank you!'

Drew's face was a picture as May burst out laughing. 'Guess you forgot about that detention, huh?' she grinned.

'I guess,' he muttered, smacking his locker shut in temper.

'What got you in detention?' May asked interestedly. 'It must have been something big 'cause you've never been _that_ late before.'

Drew cocked an eyebrow with astonishing self-confidence, given that a few moments ago he'd been clinging to May's arm like a drowning man. 'Guess _you'll_ just have to wait to find out!' he grinned.

Paul stepped in before a full scale riot could ensue, deeming himself sufficiently recovered enough to speak, though he looking anywhere near Dawn. 'And when exactly will that be?' he demanded of his friend. 'It's already Wednesday and if we're going to sort this mess out so Misty and Ash can go to the dance together, we'd better move fast.'

'But you're going to be busy until what, six?' May said, looking at Drew.

'Yeah, and then there's dinner, but if we miss that Paul and I will be facing the chopping block. Our dorm master would just love the chance to assign us toilet cleaning duty, he's been out to get us since-' At this point Paul elbowed him sharply in the ribs and Drew immediately fell silent.

May and Dawn looked at each other, and then back at the two boys. 'Since what?' they demanded simultaneously, eyes bright with mirth.

Drew and Paul exchanged an uncomfortable glance, and Paul spoke. 'Uhh, let's just say we were playing truth or dare with some of the guys on our floor - '

'- and _they _told him it was our idea, even though it totally wasn't - '

'- and things got a little out of hand,' Paul finished, looking chastised at the mere memory of the incident.

Dawn's eyebrows shot up and she opened her mouth to indulge her morbid curiosity, but May seemed to sense that this was a subject that Drew and Paul would always remain mute upon. Making a secret plan to bribe it out of Conway, whom she knew lived in Drew and Paul's building, she cut her friend off.

'And after dinner you'll have to make up your regular after school study period, right?'

'Right,' Drew said morosely. 'That means it will probably be around eight by the time we're free for the evening. Great, where are we going to find a spot in Pokemon High that doesn't have a million eavesdroppers clamoring to hear the dirt on Ash and Misty?'

'Yeah, the common rooms and all will be packed, and the supervisors get mad if you hang out in the halls. They think you're up to no good,' Paul added.

'Which would be about true, in this case,' Drew muttered to himself.

'Well, why don't you come to our dorm room?' Dawn asked brightly as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, smiling at Paul, who had turned the approximate color of a raspberry. 'Senior skill level students are allowed visitors until ten, and that way, no one will overhear or interrupt us. It's perfect!'

She smiled happily at her three companions, a gesture which none of them returned. May appeared too shocked to contend the suggestion, turning to her friend with wild, panicked eyes. Drew was as pale as a ghost and looked remarkably close to throwing up, while Paul seemed to have lost the ability to speak altogether.

'Paul Ikari and Andrew Hayden, please report to 3B before you are marked as tardy, that's Paul Ikari and Andrew Hayden.'

'We have to go, see you later!' Drew gabbled, grabbing the inert Paul by the arm and towing him away. May waved faintly, her expression dazed.

'Bye, see you tonight!' Dawn called cheerily. 'Good luck in detention!' She sighed mistily as she watched the two boys leg it around a corner.

'Ahhh, I love being the one who comes up with a sensible solution. It doesn't happen often, but when it does…' She smiled dreamily, remembering Paul's adorable flush. Gosh, she hadn't even known humans could _turn _that color!

Her pleasant recollections were interrupted by a feral snarl. Jumping a little, she turned to see where the noise had come from, expecting to see a stray Pokemon or something. Instead all she saw was May. The girl was the color of her bandana and her expression promised death and destruction to all who got in her way. Dawn squeaked.

'Dawn Berliz, I am going to _kill_ you…'

*****

Paul trailed reluctantly behind Drew as the Coordinator forged a determined path towards the Indigo Hall, the tall, brightly-lit building rising from the ground just ahead of them like a fiery beacon. The sky was already darkening to a dusky lavender, while a brilliant streak of gold blazed across the heavens just above the horizon. The wind rustled eerily in the shady trees, a sharp breeze biting with the chill of coming winter.

'Drew, this is totally unnecessary, we can just tell them tomorrow! We'll find an empty classroom during lunch or something, there's no need for us to _visit _them in their freaking _bedroom_!'

Drew ignored his friend entirely, but Paul was not discouraged from continuing. 'It won't matter if we lose one day, we're not going to be able to do anything tonight anyway! We gain nothing by telling them now, we'd be just as well to -'

Drew whipped around, his green eyes gleaming stonily in the fading light. He stepped aggressively towards his friend and poked him hard in the chest.

'Paul Ikari, are you a man or not?' he demanded.

Paul flushed angrily, pushing Drew's offending hand away. 'Of course I am! What do you think? I - '

'Then _start acting like one_!' Drew interrupted loudly. 'Seriously dude, get a grip! You're as bad as Ash! The girl you've liked for years _asked _you to come see her! Are you just going to blow her off? It was your idea to tell them in the first place, you should have been ready for something like this!'

Paul drew himself up to his full height, glowering down at Drew. 'I don't want to _blow her off, _I just don't think it's very…very…_appropriate _for us to visit them in their bedroom like this!'

'Oh get over yourself, Paul, we both know this has nothing to do with the fact that we'll be sitting in their dorm room!' Drew snorted. '_You're_ just freaking out because Dawn is finally showing signs of liking you back and _you_ just don't know what to do with it!'

'And what about you?' Paul retaliated, his face flushing furiously. 'You almost had a heart attack when May tried to punch you in the face the other day. You guys didn't speak for two weeks, so don't lecture _me_ about freaking out 'cause you're just as bad!'

'You think I don't know that?' Drew demanded 'I spent two miserable weeks ignoring May's existence and where did it get me? Nowhere! So now I'm trying to right that by being, I don't know, _brave _or something and going to see her, and I'm helping Ash out at the same time because we both know that every second lost is a second that Gary wins. So all I'm asking is for you to do the same. And don't say you have it worse than me because Dawn's never tried to flatten you with her fist – in fact, she's never done anything worse than tease you, which the whole world knows is girl-speak for "I'm crazy about you!" So will you just stop behaving like a scared little girl and go after what you want?'

Paul's eyes burned dangerously, and he strode closer to Drew, looming over him threateningly. 'Call me a scared little girl ONE more time, Hayden, and I'll rip your head from your body and mail it to your mother in a shoebox!'

Drew growled, his fists clenching up into tight balls, but he didn't rise to the bait. Instead, he took a deep breath and stepped backwards, waiting for his friend to do the same. He knew he'd pushed his friend too far, and Paul's temper was definitely a force to be reckoned with.

Paul took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, running a hand through his long hair. He always struggled when it came to discussing his feelings, since he had spent so much of his life pretending he didn't _have _any. It was only after getting closer to people like Drew and Ash and Dawn that his emotional walls had started to crumble from the base upwards.

'I _do _want to help Ash, and Misty, and I don't want to blow Dawn off,' Paul said tersely. 'And I don't appreciate you saying otherwise, okay?'

Drew exhaled sharply. 'Okay. Sorry,' he muttered unwillingly. The two boys stared at each other for a moment, the sky above deepening to an inky black as they stood. Then Drew nodded sharply and turning on his heel, continued on towards the warmly inviting building alone.

Paul sighed and raised his eyes to the heavens, muttering a little prayer to the stars above. Then he ran to catch up with Drew, reaching him just as he was scrambling stiffly up the stairs towards the doorway. Paul reached out and grabbed Drew's arm. 'Sorry,' he mumbled into his jacket.

Drew paused for a moment, contemplating his friend's vaguely beguiling expression. Then a grin broke out on his face and he punched Paul casually on the arm.

'No worries, Ikari,' he said cheerfully. 'I was out of line. You're not a scared little girl. That's Gary Oak. He wasn't man enough to take Ash head-on, and who's afraid of Ash?'

Paul chuckled in relief. 'Come on, let's go carry out this brilliant idea of mine,' he laughed, motioning for Drew to push through the heavy double doors first.

As soon as he stepped into the lobby, Drew regretted being so hard on Paul as the silent urge to run and hide rose up in him like cold fire. He'd never had any reason to visit the Indigo Hall and neither had Paul, and he was beginning to see why it was a practice frequently avoided by the other boarding males at Pokemon High – even those with girlfriends who lodged there.

The Indigo Hall was the only girls' dormitory on Campus – both Evergreen and Silver, where Drew and Paul lived, were all male – and it was obvious from the moment you stepped inside. There were girls _everywhere_ – lounging on luxurious couches in the lobby, flicking though magazines or painting each others' toenails; chatting with Nurse Joy, the Chief Supervisor, who sat behind the desk; spilling out of the ground floor common room, where a girly movie was blasting on a big screen television, visible through the open door. Drew was no stranger to the female sex, having an astonishing amount of them in his personal fan club who sent him flowers and chocolates and stuffed toys on a regular basis, but even he silently admitted that this was just a _little _overwhelming.

At the sight of the two desirable males, an almighty squeal came up from most of the girls in the vicinity. Half of them ran screaming, trying to hide their tangled, wet hair, half painted fingernails or ratty sweats and t-shirts. The other, more presentable half descended upon the hapless Drew and Paul. Within seconds, the two boys were surrounded by a swarm of eager girls flicking their hair and batting their eyelashes. Word spread quickly in excited screams and the common room emptied, the movie forgotten, and another avalanche of enthusiastic females appeared out from behind the corner that led to the hallway of first floor dormitories.

Drew took it like a pro – for that was what he was, after all. He smiled gallantly at every girl who grabbed at him, diplomatically extracting himself from their vice-like grips. 'Easy now, ladies, there's plenty of me to go around!' he laughed graciously, signing a scrap of notebook paper in lip gloss for a star struck freshman while trying to subtly wiggle free of the suffocating group.

Paul did not fare so well. Though he was greatly admired among the female section of the Pokemon High student body, his stony countenance and dangerous eyes meant that even his most avid admirers were often too intimidated to approach him. But tonight the girls had safety in numbers and were swarming over him without a care in the world. He shot Drew a livid 'I-told-you-so' look when the coordinator briefly appeared amongst the throng of young women. His fury turned to panic, however, as one brave lady dared to touch his irresistible purple locks. Though he did not show it, he was trying very hard not to break any of her bones. Fortunately, a moment later, a veritable savior appeared in their midst.

'Whoa, whoa, ladies, get a grip!' a kind but stern voice rang out. 'Let's give these gentlemen some breathing room!'

The crowd of hungry-eyed females retreated slightly as Nurse Joy beat a path through them towards the ice-cool Drew and the rumpled Paul. 'Hello boys – er, welcome to Indigo Hall. What can we do for you this evening?'

'Hello Nurse Joy,' Drew answered with perfect self-composition. 'We're here to visit some people, actually.' Frantic whispering broke out among the surrounding girls, many of whom began shooting Drew distinctly 'come hither' looks from the corner of their eyes. Drew ignored them. 'May Maple and Dawn Berlitz,' he finished.

Disappointed sounds emitted from various spots in the curious crowd but Drew, Paul and Nurse Joy ignored them all. 'I haven't seen them down here this evening, but would you wait here until I call their room? Guidelines say we have to get their permission before sending you up.'

'Of course,' Drew replied, seizing Paul and dragging him after Nurse Joy and away from the clutches of the eager girls. The Nurse settled herself into the chair behind her desk and reached for a telephone, typing in a three number code. Her call was answered almost immediately.

'Ah yes – Dawn? Yes hello, this is Nurse Joy. You and your roommate have a pair of visitors. Shall I send them up?' There was a pause, disembodied noises emitting from the telephone. 'It's Paul Ikari and Drew Hayden. Okay, yes, I'll send them up immediately. Have a good night, my dear – and remember: ten o'clock.'

Nurse Joy put the phone down. 'It's Room Fifteen, on the second floor, gentlemen. Er – perhaps I'll escort you, to make sure you find it without, er – difficulty.'

Drew gladly accepted the protection of the venerable Nurse and, dragging the reluctant Paul with him, he followed Nurse Joy up a flight of stairs and around a corner, ignoring the gaggle of girls who shadowed their progress.

'Here we are, dears,' Nurse Joy smiled as she stopped outside a shiny white door labeled with a silver fifteen. 'Ten o'clock, now, and if you're not down in time I'll call up to remind you.'

With a sweet smile the Nurse accepted their profuse thanks and disappeared. Drew knocked hastily on the door as doors began to swing open all the way along the hall, bright-eyed, giggling girls leaning out for an ogle.

Thankfully the door snapped open quickly, as if the residents of Room Fifteen had expected their visitors to suffer some grief on the journey up. It was Dawn who stood in the doorway, dressed pink and white polka dotted pajama pants and a white hoodie, the zip pulled down low enough to reveal a black tank top. Her signature white hat was missing and her long blue curls had been scraped back into a high ponytail. She grinned widely at the two boys seeking entry to her room and Paul swallowed sharply.

'Hello guys,' she said brightly. 'Come on in.'

'Thanks,' Drew said gratefully, barely noticing the difference from Dawn's usual attire.

'Hi Dawn,' he added tactfully as he shoved the dumbstruck Paul into the room and slammed the door closed, eager to shut out the faces of rabid curiosity behind him. A pitiful wail rose from the spectators in the hallway, melding into a hush of muted conversation that was undoubtedly rife with incorrect speculations as to the reason for Drew and Paul's presence.

May moved cautiously forward to meet her rather unwelcome visitors. She had also forgone her usual outfit in favor of black and white checked pajama pants and a little red t-shirt. Her bandana was missing and her hair, unchecked by its usual ring of fabric, was fastened back in a messy bun. Drew's eyes almost popped clean out of his skull.

'Hello, Drew. Hello, Paul,' she said carefully. 'It was nice of you to come.'

Paul was still recovering from the sight of Dawn's nightly makeover but when he gathered his wits enough to speak, he could have upstaged an eighteenth-century country gentleman. 'Good evening, ladies,' he murmured, nodding his head respectfully, though his eyes never left Dawn. Drew vaguely expected him to bow gallantly, as they were in the presence of females, but he was too busy staring at May to laugh. He blinked, realizing dimly that it was his turn to speak.

'Uhh…hi. Yes, uh, hello May, hello,' he stumbled.

The faintest trace of a smile began to form around May's lips and her eyes sparkled with mirth, but she did not laugh. 'You guys can sit down if you want to.'

The room was fairly small and perfectly square in shape, a door to one side leading to a tiny en suite. On the left side of the room there was a narrow bed and a pale brown eight pointed star shape hung suspended above it. The covers of the bed were patterned in red and white swirls dotted with black polka dots, with several black and white throw pillows resting in a pile near the head.

The walls above the bed were largely taken up by a huge poster of the Pokémon native to Hoenn, and an aerial shot of Hoenn's Grand Festival Stadium. Between them was stuck a large piece of paper scrawled with the words 'Take the Stage' in black Sharpie. All the gaps in between were filled with pictures of Pokémon torn from magazines and lots of color photographs, mainly of a young boy with glasses, a woman with wavy brown hair pulled into pigtails, and a man with dark eyes and a winning smile.

At the foot of the bed stood a generic looking desk with a little office chair tucked neatly beneath it. A pile of school text books and brightly bound novels tottered dangerously in one corner but other than that, the desk looked more like a chef's kitchen than a place to do homework. There was a stack of jars full of brightly colored Pokéblock, a bowl of half mixed blue gunk, a kettle and a supersize package of instant noodles. And right above the desk, all alone in their glory, was a row of Coordinator's ribbons.

The other side of the room was arranged to mirror the first side, a bed of the same shape and size taking up position on the opposite side of the room. Its covers were exactly the same as the other bed, except that they were colored in pink and white and studded with black. A toy Piplup was perched on a fluffy white pillow near the head and beside it stood a real Piplup, who was crowing rather indignantly at the sight of the visitors.

The wall above the bed was taken up entirely with sketches and ink drawings, torn carelessly out of notebooks and art pads. There were elaborate dresses laden with glitter and trailing lace, with matching hairstyles shaped and scrawled in the corners; Contest outfits for Piplup and Pachirisu and Buneary, among other Pokemon; even regular street clothes, mostly in varying shades of pink. Dotted among these works of art were fashion spreads torn from magazines depicting makeup techniques or Pokemon beauty tips, postcards from around Sinnoh and, of course, hundreds of photographs of Pokemon.

The desk at the bottom of this bed was cluttered with innumerable brightly colored bottles and jars and make-up palettes, a hair straightener, jars of sequins and yards of silky fabric tossed carelessly aside. A sewing machine stood precariously near the edge, tottering on the brink of plunging into the waste basket below. Above the desk a large mirror was hung and around it, several Coordinator's ribbons were pinned.

Drew and Paul shuffled deeper into the room and May indicated that they could take up temporary residence of the red bed, perhaps deeming it less wounding to their manly pride than the frilly pink counterpart that she chose to fling herself upon. Dawn followed suit, and a rather uncomfortable silence descended as the foursome stared at each other from opposite sides of the room. Despite their semi-friendly encounter in the hall that day, May and Drew were still wary of each other, and just being in Dawn's room was enough to render Paul entirely speechless. Only Dawn seemed at ease, grinning unabashedly at the two boys as if they were on a movie screen.

'Er – perhaps you should tell us what Misty said,' May began helpfully, elbowing Dawn in the ribs.

Drew blinked quickly and sat up a little straighter. 'Er, yes, of course. Paul, perhaps you would…' He trailed off as he noticed his friend's rather glazed expression. 'Never mind. Anyway, it pretty much started the other day on the way to lunch…'

'Oh – wait,' May interrupted suddenly, jumping up from Dawn's bed. 'Sorry Drew, give me just a second.'

She began rummaging around in the top drawer of her desk, eventually pulling out a Pokeball, and after examining it momentarily she began to creep towards the door.

She paused, leaning her ear up against the smooth wooden surface, before standing back and flinging it open with a flourish. 'Blaziken, go!' she shouted, chucking the Pokeball out into the crowded hall.

Fifty eavesdroppers stumbled back with a shriek as the towering Pokemon appeared very suddenly in their midst. Most of them fled, diving into the nearest bedroom with an open door or making rapidly for the stairs, their faces burning with the shame of being caught. A few brave ones dared to stay longer, attempting to crane around the stony faced May to get a glimpse of what was going on inside, but when May ordered Blaziken to use a Fire Spin they all took the hint and beat it – quickly.

May sighed, looking over at Blaziken in amusement, who was emitting our puffs of smoke in what was clearly its version of laughter. 'They didn't actually think I'd let you burn then to a crisp, did they?' she laughed quietly. 'I'd hate to get expelled for something as stupid as trying to have a private conversation.' Blaziken shook its head, turning to watch the last of the eavesdroppers disappear down a nearby stairwell.

'Listen buddy, do you think you could watch the door for me?' she said loudly, raising her voice for the benefit of all those nearby. 'We're _trying_ to have a private conversation in here.' She grinned at her Pokemon, lowering her voice when she spoke again. 'Just make sure no one gets close enough to hear anything – apart from Nurse Joy, of course, then I'd _really _get expelled.' Blaziken roared its agreement and with a thankful smile May turned and went back inside, slamming the door behind her.

'Sorry about that,' she said airily, plopping down beside Dawn again. 'Please continue, Drew.'

Drew, who had watched May's every move with open mouthed astonishment, swallowed thickly and obeyed.

Drew was a skilled and confident narrator – as long as he wasn't looking into May's shining blue eyes. He told of how they had come across the Oaks in the middle of a private conversation and, carefully leaving out the bit about hiding in the doorway, he recited exactly what had passed between Gary and Daisy. He went on to explain how they had requested a private talk with Misty and, to the great interest of May and Dawn, he described how Misty had been blackmailed into dumping Ash (May had to physically restrain Dawn at this point, as the girl was intent on running all the way to Gary's house and beating him to a pulp) and then forced by her own secret to keep it constrained. Their reaction was something similar to what Drew and Paul's had been.

'That's _it_?' May demanded, after they had finished with threatening Gary with death and disembowelment. 'That's the only thing that's stopping her from telling Ash what Gary's done is that if she does, Gary will tell Ash she likes him? _Wow _is she blind or what?!"

'Well, that makes things really simple, doesn't it?' Dawn put in brightly, smiling in relief at May. They had envisioned all sorts of complications but this was almost _too _easy to resolve. 'All we have to do is tell Ash, and then he'll forgive her and then all will be fine and wonderful! They'll go to the dance together, Gary'll be humiliated, Daisy'll get dumped and then we won't have to worry any more!'

'Well,' Drew answered reluctantly, sending Paul a resentful glance, 'it's not quite that simple.'

He went on to explain how Misty had forced them to swear they would not tell Ash, and to his disbelief, May and Dawn both seemed to side with Paul on the matter.

'If Misty said she doesn't want us to tell Ash then we just can't. It's as simple as that,' Dawn said seriously.

'Yeah, definitely,' May agreed. 'It's her right to decide how her private business is handled.'She paused for a moment, staring up at the ceiling. 'What _we _need is a plan. How can we get Misty to tell Ash without actually _telling_ him, so that she doesn't freak out? How can we make _sure _that she tells him? I mean, at this rate, they are both going to crash out of the Doubleteam League, but is there any way we can save the dance for them?'

'And deal out a little pain and humiliation to Gary at the same time,' Dawn snorted, crossing her arms.

'Right,' May agreed, '_and _we need to get rid of Daisy.' She paused for a moment. 'How the heck are we going to that?' she said bleakly, staring at Drew and Paul. They exchanged an uneasy glance.

'Er…we were sort of hoping you guys could help us out there,' Drew admitted, sweat-dropping.

May raised her eyebrows ironically. 'You two came to _us_ for help?'

'Er – yes,' Paul put in, glancing uncomfortably at Dawn.

The girls exchanged an unabashedly delighted glance, their faces lit with identically triumphant grins. 'You've come to the right place,' Dawn declared. 'We'll have this mess sorted in no time.'

'Too right!' May grinned, turning to Dawn, her eyes flashing with determination. 'Okay, let's get some things straight. Do you think there is any way Ash could find out about this on his own?'

'I doubt it,' Dawn answered, furrowing her brow. 'We're all bound to secrecy and those who aren't, Daisy and Gary, will certainly never tell.'

'Hmmm…could we force Gary into admitting it?'

May shook her head. 'I don't think so. He'd never admit to stooping so low. He'd lie and make up something worse than the truth.'

'So what we need…' Dawn said slowly, 'is for Misty to tell Ash almost without knowing that she is. Not _tell _him…straight…' Dawn broke off, staring vaguely out of the window at the pitch black sky, her expression dreamy. May didn't look the slightest bit fazed at her friend's apparent mental absence but Drew looked faintly alarmed and Paul was staring hungrily at her softly parted lips.

Then Dawn leapt to her feet so quickly that Drew jumped like a startled cat and almost tumbled off the bed and into May's Pokéblock goop.

'I've got it!' she squealed, pumping her fist victoriously.

'Got what?' Drew muttered, righting himself quickly, a red flush creeping up his neck.

'A plan!' Dawn shouted, bounding over the desk beside him. Drew winced, as if expecting her to sprinkle him with fairy dust or something equally hokey, but she ignored him entirely and reached instead for May's pile of books. She sifted deftly through the tottering stack before locating a thick one with a black cover, brandishing it triumphantly at her three dumbfounded spectators.

'_Twilight_?' May said incredulously, recognizing the cover as Dawn waved it exuberantly in her face. 'Dawn, Edward Cullen says many wise and beautiful things, but nothing specific on how to get your two best friends together!'

Dawn glanced at the cover of the book she was holding and swore quietly, setting it reverently on top of May's noodle packet. 'Wrong one,' she mumbled irritably as she shuffled quickly though the wobbling pile and seized another, checking the cover before shoving it under May's nose.

'_New Moon_? That's no more help than _Twilight_ – worse, actually, since Edward is gone for most of it!'

Dawn's face sobered instantly and she clutched to book tighter. 'Terrible, isn't it?' murmured mournfully, glaring at the blood-tipped flower on the cover on the book; as if it was personally responsible for Edward's extended absence from within its pages.

'Uh, Dawn?' May put in, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. Trust Dawn to have a moony fan-girl moment at a moment like this. 'We're talking plans here, remember?'

Dawn's head snapped up, her eyes misty and far away. 'What? Oh yeah. Uhh, yeah, it's actually not Edward I'm interested in right now.'

'Lies, you're staring at that book like – what?' May gasped in disbelief, standing up so quickly she almost went tumbling into Drew's lap. May ignored this incident entirely. 'Not interested in Edward Cullen? Dawn, you worship him! Have you defected to Team Jacob or something?' she demanded, scandal creeping into her voice as she stared at her friend in abject horror.

'No, no, you know I am Team Edward for life!'

'Then _how come _you're not interested in him at this moment???'

Paul's eyes flicked between the two girls as they quibbled, his mouth hanging open. 'What the heck are they talking about?' he murmured, nonplussed by the unfathomable conversation. They might as well have been talking in Mandarin Chinese, for all he could understand.

'I have no idea…and what's the book got to do with anything?' Drew muttered, blinking rapidly. 'Hey, maybe they're using some sort of code! What are they saying that they don't want us to know?' His head was immediately filled with images of May confessing her undying love for him, but somehow the way that she was yelling so unabashedly and pointing in horror at the novel in Dawn's hand _didn't _fill him with confidence that it was he they were talking of.

Dawn had succeeded in calming May down. 'Edward is still the best but it's Jacob who's got our answer!' Dawn she insisted.

'How? You know I take any positive words concerning Jacob as a personal insult,' May said huffily, crossing her arms.

Dawn nodded seriously. 'I understand. But you know in this one, when Edward's gone? And Jacob becomes a werewolf and he can't tell Bella straight cause Sam won't let him? Well, remember how he gets her to figure it out?

'He never actually says it to her, he just…' May trailed off, her eyes wide. 'Dawn, it's perfect! You're a genius, girl!'

Dawn studied her fingernails in a failed attempt to look nonchalant. 'I try.'

'Can someone please tell me what's going on?' Drew cut in irritably. He had come to the conclusion that May was not discussing her love for him in some sort of freaky girl code, given that Dawn seemed to love this Edward person just as much as May did, and Drew found that justa _little_ disturbing. Paul was cracking his knuckles, wondering whether this Edward person was someone he should beat up.

When they finally managed to explain it, even Paul was willing to admit that yes, Dawn was a genius.

*****

Dawn and May began putting the master plan into action the very next day. Hailing Misty on the way to Battle Practice, they pulled her aside and drawing her into a secluded corner, they told her that they now knew everything Gary had done to her. It was an uncomfortable task as Misty, naturally, immediately suspected Drew and Paul and began issuing horrible threats against them that the two Coordinators knew she would not fail to carry out. She calmed a little when May pointed out that Drew and Paul had not broken any promises by telling them, and assured her that the boys had no plans to tell Ash or anyone else what they knew.

When all this was straightened out, Misty found herself overcome with relief – and, if she'd cared to admit it, gratitude towards Drew and Paul for telling May and Dawn. It was a sore trial indeed, to stand accused by an entire student body for a wrong you had no wish to commit, and the knowledge of this injustice alone was a heavy burden for the innately truthful Misty to bear. And though she had accepted May and Dawn's misgivings along with their partial forgiveness, nothing could mirror the joy she felt knowing that her secret was now a secret shared. She could not thank them enough, and received their apologies and their sympathies with joy and their threats to Gary with laughter.

Of course, with this revelation came a price. May and Dawn began a relentless day-long campaign in which they sought to convince Misty to tell Ash what she felt for him. But they had never reckoned with Misty's infamous stubborn streak and they found it to be just as unforgiving as Paul and Drew had promised it would be. She listened carefully to all their advice and cajoling and arguments, but she obstinately refused to follow them. Her surety in Ash's disdain and disinterest was engraved too deeply in her mind to be shaken.

But not even their rather irritating nagging could spoil Misty's happiness in their company. Lunch was a thrilling meal, where they discussed different ways to get Gary expelled (Dawn favored drugging him and forcing him into a dress, and though this was unanimously agreed to be hilarious, some doubt existed as to whether it would actually get him kicked out) and dwelled heavily on who exactly Daisy looked like under all that makeup (Misty thought Mick Jagger but May held out for Jack Nicholson.)

Misty could almost fool herself that it was a normal day, and that Ash would arrive at her table to escort her to Advanced Training.

Ash, naturally, noticed the sudden change in the three girls. Where there had been ice and suspicion, there was now warmth and trust. It made him furious. He still had not forgiven May and Dawn for betraying him and staying neutral in his and Misty's falling out; now he was determined never to speak to them again. He felt again the burn of Misty's supposed rejection, the needle a little sharper now that she was happy without him.

Drew and Paul noticed how this affected Ash and sought to shield him from it, wishing Ash could know that this was all for his own good in the long run. They comforted themselves that if all went well, Ash would be back to his happy, confident self in just a few days with Misty by his side. The master plan called for no active input from them just yet and the day passed slowly and restlessly for both of them.

However_**,**_ for Misty, the end of such an eventful day came all too quickly. But at the end of school, she did not catch the train home as usual. Instead, she was invited back to Dawn and May's dorm room, where Dawn claimed she had a surprise for her two best girlfriends. One quick, begging phone call to Lily assured Misty of the afternoon off from Gym duties; her pink-haired sibling more than relieved to hear her youngest sister so perky. After almost a week of watching Misty walk around in a cloud of depression, she was happy to cut her some slack.

May shot Dawn suspicious, pointed looks all the way up to the dorm, half-alarmed she was going to reveal some important part of the top secret master plan they shared with Paul and Drew. But Dawn simply smiled ambiguously and ignored her silent demands for information. When they got to the room she hustled them both May and Misty inside and told them to sit on her bed.

'Close your eyes,' she commanded. 'Now, I've been working on these in secret for a couple of weeks, and with all the drama that's been going on, I totally forgot about them.' She rustled mysteriously in what May guessed was the area around the walk in closet. 'But I think they are just about finished, a few more stitches should do it…okay…open your eyes!'

Misty's eyes flew open, and she blinked expectantly, glancing around the room for a huge gift wrapped present or something else that could be deemed worthy of all this ceremony. Then she noticed what was lying not so innocently on the bed across from her.

'You didn't think I'd let you guys go to a Halloween costume party without a costume, did you?' Dawn said proudly.

'That's a _costume_?' May squeaked, poking at the pile of silky fabric that lay across from her.

'Of course it is!' Dawn replied in amazement. 'What did you think it was?'

Misty flushed. 'Er, well…' she began awkwardly.

Dawn rolled her eyes. 'Oh come on, you two babies,' she said briskly. 'Haven't you ever seen _Mean Girls_? Halloween is just an excuse to wear lingerie as outerwear. Everybody knows that.'

'Yeah, but we're not Plastics,' May mumbled.

'Or whores,' Misty said frankly, pinching a corner of the garment between her finger and thumb and lifting it carefully, as if it were toxic or something.

Dawn scowled. 'I resent that. Elle Woods does it in _Legally Blonde_ and she's no tramp. Now, when you've stopped complaining, I'd like your eternal gratitude for transforming you both into boy magnets – feel free to thank me in advance for making Ash and Drew's eyes pop clean out of their skulls.'

May went purple and muttered something inaudible, examining her outfit's matching shoes with a terrified expression.

'I'm not trying to make Ash's eyes do anything!' Misty retorted, flushing. 'I'll be spending the evening avoiding him, thank you very much!'

'Whatever, Misty,' Dawn replied dismissively.

'Well, what are you wearing, Dawn?' Misty argued.

Dawn sighed exasperatedly. 'Something just like it!' She reached into the large paper bag and drew out a garment that admittedly, looked much the same size as Misty and May's. 'Come on girls, it doesn't hurt to look sexy once in a while!'

'Aha!' Misty pounced. 'Sexy? So whose eyes are _you _trying to pop, Dawn?'

Dawn laughed and held her costume up against her body, striking a seductive pose and pouting like a fashion model. 'Paul's, of course!' she laughed.

*****

A note on the Twilight references – yes, I realize that some of you out there are probably screaming at me through your computer, but come on – don't May and Dawn make the perfect Edward fan girls? And the Jacob thing (to all you who have read, I'm sure you know what I'm getting at) just fit so perfectly! Yes, I have read the books myself (obviously) and I do like them, but I am not the sort of girl who moves them to the Religion section in Barnes and Noble. I do not own a Team Edward T-shirt, a Twilight board game or a vampire costume – in fact, I do not even own any of the books. So there!

As for all you non Twilight readers out there, don't worry if you haven't a clue what went on between May and Dawn. Anything you need to know will be explained.

Also, a little note on the Pokemon High school system: students are arranged into grades not by age but by skill level. That is how Ash, Misty, May, Drew, Dawn, Paul, Gary and Daisy all ended up in the same grade, despite the variation in ages, and theirs is of course the top grade for the most skilled and talented Trainers and Coordinators. They are referred to as the 'senior class' despite the fact that most everyone in the school will graduate at the same time, having completed the mandatory one years Pokemon schooling – unless of course they fail.

Song Inspiration: This chapter was written almost entirely on a piece of music called _The Decision, _or _Short Hair, _and it comes from the European version of the soundtrack to the movie _Mulan_. Completely random, I know – but somehow, it fitted. _Tik Tok_ by Kesha also helped.

_**Review Replies:**_ I was blown away by the reception the last chapter received, and I still find it hard to believe that so many of you still enjoy this fic _that _much. Seriously, without you all, I would never have had the drive or confidence to continue with this thing. Special thanks to **Crystalgurl101 **for starting at the beginning and reviewing just about every chapter, and to **Samia-chan **for leaving what's probably the longest, most flattering and most encouraging review I have ever received. Seriously, girl, you are AWESOME and your enthusiasm for this story is just incredible. And thank you to all of you who included your favorite lines in your reviews, I love that. I wish I had the time to thank you all personally, but I hope this convinces you all how much you mean to me. Yay for my readers!


	18. Just Getting Started

Hello lovely readers! I have returned, and here is my latest chapter. I know it is a little late in coming, but I went through a solid week of torture over this thing (I hate writer's block…maybe I should start a support group or something???) and frankly, I am very glad to finally be posting it. So please, enjoy!

Thank you to my wonderful beta, the illustrious **Texas Longhorn, **for doing yet another miracle betaing job on this chapter. If you're reading his _A New Journey_ fic (which you totally should be…and if you haven't heard of it, you obviously haven't been reading my Author's Notes :D) you'll know that he claims to help me with the 'important' stuff like grammar while I help him with the 'unimportant' stuff like detail, dialogue, descriptions, proper characterization, etc. etc. But he also claims to be on the losing end of our business deal/archrivalship and I think we would all agree that this is true, right? Wrong. You should have seen the mangled mess of run on sentences, incorrect word usage and general grammatical mayhem I sent to him, claiming it was my newest chapter and demanding he spend his time dissecting it. He sent it back to me in the pristine form that you view here. Yeah, I know. I can't bear it either :)

This chapter is dedicated to an anonymous reviewer named **Pokemon_Princess* **who left the sweetest review on TL's _A New Journey (_yes, I read his reviews - not because I'm jealous or anything, but because I'm just _such _a good beta!) and mentioned how much she enjoyed this story. Thank you so much - this update is just for you! :)

Chapter Eighteen: Just Getting Started

Ash stared blankly at the Pikachu clock that hung on the wall above him like an executioner's ax, watching the seconds pass ominously by with a steady, regular tick. Pikachu slept soundly on the foot of his bed and his mother's bedroom light had gone out long ago, but Ash was still stubbornly awake, sitting up in bed in his dark bedroom as he counted down the seconds until karma came back and bit him in the butt in punishment for his own rash stupidity.

In exactly nineteen hours, thirty six minutes and fifty-eight – no, fifty-seven seconds, he'd be arriving at Professor Oak's laboratory to pick Daisy up for the dance.

Ash had been contemplating that woeful thought all evening, and it alone was enough to banish blissfully forgetful sleep for the night entirely. Ash looked upon his pseudo-date with Daisy as a prisoner on death row looks upon his appointment with the electric chair – a nightmare. He just wished he had someone to blame for his imminent night of slow torture other than his own stubborn self.

It wasn't through lack of trying, though – Ash had spent many hours arguing with himself, trying to convince his own conscience that it was all Misty's fault that he had been foisted with such a distasteful date. If she hadn't left him, he reasoned, there would have been no reason for him to seek another date in the first place. She had driven him to Daisy with her cruelty and selfishness. However, there was an irritatingly fair and sensible voice in his head that argued that he could have chosen anyone else in the school instead, and his own wounded pride had been the one to prompt his choice of the elder Oak sibling. He had sought Daisy out simply because it would hurt Misty the most.

After blaming Misty failed, Ash fell, as he had done many times before, to blaming Gary as the source of his woes. Unfortunately, the same arguments that prevented him from convicting Misty also applied to Gary. Ash had known full well that Gary hated the idea of him dating his sister, and as sleazy as he felt admitting it, that had certainly played a part in his choosing of Daisy. He would have done just about anything to infuriate his hated date stealing rival.

And so Ash was left to reap the rewards of his own vengeance. He should have just asked one of his many fan girls, or even better, not gone at all. He simply could not imagine anything worse than standing in a darkened room with a syrupy-sweet Daisy at his side watching Misty and Gary cooing love-struck endearments to each other as they spun around the dance floor.

Ash's eyes drifted from the clock steadily ticking down the minutes until the end of his life as he knew it, to the window, where the rolling hills of Pallet and beyond lay bathed in the radiance of the silver moon. He tried, as he had so many times in the past week, to picture Misty and Gary together at the dance. Misty would be in costume – perhaps a long flowing princess dress…or something more characteristic like a pirate's outfit – and they'd be spinning slowly to the music under the dimmed lights, their faces alight with happiness. It was simple, really – just like a bad teen movie. They'd be together, and they'd be happy.

And yet, even as he struggled to paint that picture in his mind, he knew in his heart of hearts that it was not going to be like that. He couldn't explain how he felt this, given the painfully unavoidable way he had learned they were to go together. In truth, there was no basis for his belief in the failure of their first evening together as a couple at all; and yet, he knew. Ash was a successful Trainer used to relying on instinct, so he knew what it was to get a gut feeling worth trusting. This felt no different.

He stared with unfocused eyes at the watery moon, pondering again over the source of this admittedly insane admission. There were things in Misty and Gary's relationship that had been tormenting all week – irregularities, oddities that seemed to make no sense no matter how he looked at them.

Perhaps the most singular one was the obvious lack of contact between Gary and Misty over the course of the school day. Ash had expected them to take a line similar to the one he'd taken with Daisy, and flaunt their relationship for the entire school to admire. Yet he was fairly sure that in the course of the last week he had not seen them speak to each other even once. There were no intimate lunches or secret smiles or bashful hand-holdings in the hallway. Indeed, between them seemed to exist nothing more than a testy radio silence that neither seemed eager to dissolve. Gary made no attempt to shower his new lady with attention, and in return, Misty made not even the slightest gesture of affection or admiration towards her new boyfriend of sorts.

Also, if that was not enough in its own right, there were many other aspects of their strange union that did not quite add up with the outward situation. There was Gary's indifference to his relationship with Daisy; as if his adversary had almost expected him to react just so. There was also May and Dawn's total forgiveness of Misty to consider. He was still harboring an internal fury that his old friends had accepted whatever story Misty had fed them so easily, and it hurt him that they would trust her first over him.

But perhaps most poignant of all was Misty's overall behavior since they had split from each other. Ash had spent many hours dwelling over his last conversation with Misty, the one where she had revealed to him what she had done, and as he looked back on it without the springing up of new emotions to cloud his thinking, he'd come to remember a fervent reticence in her to part from him. It was almost as if she did not _want_ to be with Gary at all…almost as if she wanted to be with him just like she'd said she did.

Ash gritted his teeth in frustration, pounding his pillow irritably with a tightly-clenched fist. He hated that he felt this way, because it felt so much like false hope.

Perhaps in this case, he thought, I should just listen to my head and read the signs like a sane person. She dumped you for him, and if there was any reason other than malice and hard-heartedness, she would have told you. Of course they'll be happy together. She chose him.

Ash groaned quietly, turning away from the moon-glazed landscape and curling into a tight ball as he pulled the covers over his head.

Misty. He missed her so much that it hurt inside, and no amount of petty revenge or meaningless musings would soothe his pain. He would still have to see her laugh and smile and shine in her ethereal beauty and know that she would never be his, that she had happily left him in the dust to pursue a brighter and more dangerous prize.

It pained him even more to know that in all the years that they had been friends, he had never really known her, because if he had known her, he would have seen this coming. Somehow, he had failed to notice the deep-seated streak of malevolent capriciousness that prompted her to deceive him so heartlessly. He had considered her the best of all his friends, and yet here she was, utterly alien to him. Betrayed by the one he had loved the most, and yet somehow never known. He had loved what had never existed, which was the Misty she had shown him – blunt, fiery and faithful to the depths of her soul.

He had failed, and she was triumphant in her treachery.

******

Ash was up at the crack of dawn on Friday morning, which was perhaps strange on the face of things; given that he was facing an evening of what he perceived as slow torture. However, the day held another event as well – an event that Ash now viewed as the only way to redeem himself in his own eyes and regain dominance over Gary.

Ash was going to win the Doubleteam League.

He knew it was a risk to pin his hopes upon such a feat; and given how his last double battle against Gary and Paul had ended, he had no real reason to believe that his talent and experience alone could win a battle which ultimately required full cooperation from an able partner. But Ash was convinced that it was the only way to salvage both his day and his crushed dignity. If he won, it wouldn't matter who his date was or what Misty had done to him. He would be one step closer to his precious dream of becoming a Pokémon Master and that was all that counted.

At least, that was what he told himself.

He was full of forced cheerful chatter at breakfast as he told his mother about the team he had carefully selected for the event. Delia smiled warily back, wondering for what felt like the millionth time if she should press him to talk about what happened between him and Misty. She knew that Ash was convinced that he had her fooled that everything was alright, but Delia knew her son better than that. After the scenes with his friends over the weekend and his obvious avoidance of Misty's name, it was clear to her that something had passed between her son and his best friend; but she knew better than to question him. Ash would talk when he was ready, and not before.

Ash arrived at Pokémon High rather earlier than usual, but the place was already buzzing with students excitedly discussing the day ahead. The school itself seemed determined to eke out every possible advantage of the festive occasion, and the Doubleteam Tournament was destined to premiere with a wave of unprecedented fanfare. Overnight the school had been decked out in full Halloween attire: cobwebs clung in creepy clusters to doorframes and stairwells; paper bats, stars and sickle moons hung from classroom ceilings; carefully carved pumpkins adorned every table in the lunch room, each lit from the inside with a small candle. There was even a mini-graveyard on the lawn outside the main entrance, and a skeleton mysteriously appeared in Professor Oak's place at the teacher's lunch table.

The staff had also entered into the spirit of the festivities by discarding their sensible white lab coats for one day in favor of costumes suitable to the occasion. Professor Ivy came clad in a flowing black dress and pointed witch's hat, while Professor Birch, taking advantage of his considerable height and build, came sporting green face paint and a fake screw through his neck. Even absent-minded Professor Elm remembered to make an effort with a long black cape (slung hastily over his usual attire) and a set of pointed white fangs. However_**,**_ the venerable Headmaster himself outshone them all, turning up for work in a white leather jumpsuit encrusted with rhinestones and a slick black wig. He reduced several students to hysterics with his renditions of old Elvis songs and bored several to tears with a long anecdote about how he had once considered giving up his career in Pokémon research in order to pursue his dream of singing superstardom.

Ash noticed all the changes with apathetic eyes, wishing he could summon the spirit to appreciate all the hard work that was going into the day's events. Instead, he was more interested in joining in with one of the many conversations speculating over the imminent Doubleteam Tournament, the main happening of the day. When all was said and done, Pokémon High was a school bursting with cutthroat teenagers brought up to contend with each other and desperate to prove themselves superior to all. Though no student, with perhaps a few important exceptions could claim that they were not looking forward to the dance, it was the chance to be crowned Champion which the students revered the most.

It had been three weeks since the event was announced and excitement had reached a fever pitch, and talk among the students was rife with speculation. Everyone was analyzing prominent Trainers and Coordinators and discussing the advantages and disadvantages they would be at in a pairs battle, trying to predict a winning pair - despite the fact that no one yet knew who their partners would be. The atmosphere was positively electric, the air burning with tangible competitive spirit.

And in the midst of it all, Ash was able to forget his troubles. For just a little while, he was able to let go of how his best friend would be dancing with his hated rival that very night, and drown himself in the heady mixture of conjecture and anticipation. His competitive fire burned and he itched to get out on the battle field. Oh yes, he was going to win this one – for Misty. He would show her.

Ash was in the middle of an animated group discussion when he was rather rudely interrupted by none other than Dawn Berlitz. She looked a little frazzled, glancing shiftily up and down the hallway as she tried to smooth her unusually ruffled blue hair, but she smiled as brightly as ever as she approached him.

'Hey Ash!' she began cheerfully. 'How are you?'

Ash turned his back on those he had been talking with and scowled rudely at her, mindful of the many eager eyes watching their discourse. But Dawn did not flinch at his mutinous expression; she simply ploughed on, seeming oblivious to his displeasure.

'Can I talk to you for a second?'

Ash was about to bite back with the obvious answer when he noticed what she held clutched in her hands. It was strange for fashion-conscious Dawn to be toting such an ugly and cumbersome plastic bag, forcing him to assume that whatever lay inside must be important. He sighed, allowing his curiosity to overtake his reasoning. Besides, he already knew full well that even if he flat out refused her, Dawn would not give up until he had done whatever it was that she wanted him to do.

'Fine,' he replied as calmly as he could, aware of the many sets of eyes boring into his back.

Dawn smiled sweetly and without another word, turned and led him out a nearby emergency exit to the privacy of a secluded little alcove on the outside of the building.

'What do you want?' he demanded rudely as soon as she stopped, satisfied that no one was within eavesdropping vicinity. Ash was keen to make it clear that just because he had followed her outside didn't mean that he had forgiven her leaving him for his treacherous ex-best friend.

Dawn smiled again, clearly amused by his overly-hostile attitude. 'I wanted to give you this,' she said simply, holding out the bag to him.

Ash glared at her suspiciously as he accepted the veritable peace offering, frowning as he perused the contents of the bag. But his misgivings soon gave way to incredulity as his eyes alighted upon a familiar pair of gloves and it hit him what this bag of garments was.

'Dawn, where did you get this?' he asked in amazement.

Dawn shrugged nonchalantly, biting her lip. 'May told me about it, so I called Brock and got him to send it to me by express mail. We were up all night altering it for you. You've grown a lot since you last wore it.'

Ash flushed as he rifled though the jumble of clothes and accessories. It was all there – hat, boots, cloak, everything. 'You knew I'd forgotten to get a costume?' he guessed in a mutter.

Dawn choked on a laugh. 'We figured that with all the drama you've been going through it would have slipped your mind. I guess wewere right,' she finished, the ghost of a smirk hovering around her lips.

Ash scowled heavily as he stuffed the trailing clothes haphazardly back into the bag. Dawn was absolutely right – in the confusion of the past week, he'd completely forgotten that the dance was also a Halloween _costume_ ball. In fact, he had only realized it just the day before, when Daisy had begged him to guess what she was dressing up as. By then it was too late to make or buy anything decent. He been forced to cut his losses and had resigned himself to being one of the boring attendants in regular clothes.

Ash fiddled clumsily with the plastic bag, trying to avoid Dawn's penetrating gaze. It was bad enough being caught in an act of stupidity by the two girls he'd told to go to _hell_ just days before, but it was even worse that they would still care enough about him to do something so nice and thoughtful; especially on such short notice.

Ash cleared his throat awkwardly. 'Er – thanks,' he mumbled, scratching the back of his head uneasily.

'No problem,' Dawn replied immediately. 'You _will_ wear it, won't you?' she questioned anxiously.

Ash nodded. 'Of course,' he said with a grudging smile.

Dawn's answering grin was as bright as sunshine. 'I think you'll have a great time tonight,' she said enigmatically, her eyes bright and knowing. 'Good luck in the tournament – not that you need it or anything!' And with that, she threw him a quick wave and disappeared back inside.

Ash watched her go, despairing over his sudden assurance that every female on the face of the earth was destined to get the better of him.

*****

Drew shifted awkwardly in his chair, his eyes flicking from the door to the clock above the whiteboard to the empty desk behind him. He sighed heavily, leaning across the aisle towards Paul.

'He's late!' he hissed anxiously. He shot a nearby group of girls a suspicious look, as if they had chosen to sit so close for the sole purpose of eavesdropping on him and Paul. 'What's taking Dawn so long? All she had to do was hand him the bag!'

Paul deigned to give an actual reply to such a distasteful remark, contenting himself instead with growling softly under his breath as he stared fixedly at the door. Drew, realizing he was not going to get any better reply out of his sullen friend, rolled his eyes and slumped back in his chair to wait.

As if on cue_**, **_at that moment Dawn burst in through the door, smiling brightly at Paul as she shot him and Drew a small thumbs up. Paul swallowed heavily and his cheeks reddened, but he managed to nod staidly in reply, ignoring Drew's exasperated sigh. He watched as Dawn skipped merrily over to her chair and flung herself down, glancing rather pensively at the two desks beside her. Both were empty; May's job for the morning was to waylay Misty.

Drew watched with growing amusement as his friend continued to stare unabashedly at the object of his affections, who was now engaged in an excited conversation with one of her female classmates; presumably about hair spray or lipstick or something equally unfathomable to men.

'You are _so _whipped,' the Coordinator intoned lazily, grinning. Paul's glazed expression never changed and his eyes didn't leave Dawn, but his aim was perfect as he whipped his hand out and slapped his friend swiftly on the side of the head.

'You're just as bad and you know it,' he replied calmly, silently noting how Dawn's hair spilled over her shoulders like an inky waterfall.

Drew reddened. 'No I'm not!' he replied hotly, unable to come up with a better comeback as he rubbed the side of his abused head.

'Whatever – oh hey, here he comes.'

Both boys turned their attention to Ash, who had just wandered into the room. The bag that held his costume was missing, presumably stuffed in his locker. Ash glanced uneasily round as he walked to his seat. Once he was assured that neither Daisy nor Misty was in the vicinity, he shot Dawn a rather uneasy smile. She returned the gesture in full, but when Ash took his seat beside Drew and Paul, the two boys gave no indication that they'd seen their friend acknowledge Dawn for the first time in days.

The three boys had just struck up a rather stiff conversation about the Doubleteam League when, right on time, Daisy Oak made her first appearance of the day, flanked by her posse of ladies in waiting. Paul and Drew exchanged a derisive smirk – clearly, she'd been hanging around outside waiting for Ash to enter the room so that he'd have a front row seat for her dramatic entrance. With an excited squeal she swooped down on him, perching cutely on his desk and engaging him in a conversation that revolved around her favorite subject – herself.

Paul shot Drew a grim glance, and Drew mimed being sick. The entire spectacle was nauseating, but they couldn't concentrate on that now – it was time to implement their side of Phase Two of the master plan. Phase One had simply consisted of May and Dawn telling Misty that they knew about Gary's plan. Since that had required no active input from the two boys (apart from staying as far away from Misty as possible so that she couldn't kill them), they were rather keen to get started.

Drew cleared his throat theatrically, shooting Daisy's flankers an icy look as he leaned closer to Paul. 'It's nice to see Ash so happy, isn't it?' he began nonchalantly, his voice slightly louder than usual.

Paul shifted uncomfortably in his chair. 'Uhh…yeah,' he mumbled awkwardly, trying to stop himself from looking at Dawn, who was watching him avidly from the back of the room.

Drew stared expectantly at Paul, waiting for the older boy to continue, but Paul just stared blankly back. Drew widened his eyes pointedly and motioned frantically with his hand for Paul to continue with his pre-arranged lines, but to no effect. Paul just blinked dimly in response, frowning a little and obviously at a total loss. Rolling his eyes, Drew cursed under his breath. Time to employ his theatrical training – if all else fails, improvise.

'But what about _Misty_, Paul?' he emphasized, baring his teeth in a silent threat of what was to come if his idiotic friend failed to pull his remaining lines off convincingly. 'What about _her_?

Paul started. 'Oh!' he exclaimed, the forgotten line dawning on him suddenly. 'Oh right!' Drew suppressed a groan of exasperation, resisting the urge to slam his head into the desk. Sighing heavily, he nodded for Paul to continue.

Paul scowled in response. 'It's a shame that Misty treated Ash so cruelly, because they would have made a cute couple,' he said in a loud, wooden voice, wincing as he reached the cheesy end of his sentence. He wished that he'd waited for Drew to deliver that particular line.

Mangled and pathetically delivered though Paul's line was, it did the trick. Ash, who had been staring fixedly at a point somewhere on Daisy's nose and willing himself not to fall asleep to the sound of her oddly soothing monologue on her new shoes, started violently. His head whipped sideways as he turned to stare hard at his two friends, but seemingly catching himself in open eavesdropping, he turned back to face Daisy again. Shooting Drew and Paul covert glances from under his eyelids, he shifted in his chair, plastered a fake smile on his face and stared blankly at Daisy, attempting to block out everything she said as he strained to hear the rest of his friend's conversation.

Ash's admittedly obvious reaction had not gone unmissed by Drew and Paul, who exchanged a triumphant glance. 'It doesn't seem right, somehow,' Drew continued casually. 'I mean, it's common knowledge that she was crazy about him. Why would she dump him for someone else?'

Paul attempted to shake his head in disbelief, but ended up looking like he suffered from a sort of nervous twitch. 'I do not know. Maybe she didn't want to dump him at all. Maybe something happened that we don't know about,' he recited monotonously.

Drew choked down a laugh, the remnants of his irritation draining away at the sight of Paul's vaguely pained expression. He was just so incredibly uncomfortable with theatrics – no wonder he was a Trainer and not a Coordinator. It was quite the sight to see. 'Well, I guess we'll never know,' he said airily, slumping in his seat in a picture of self confidence as he shot Paul a raucous grin, who returned it with a somewhat weak smile.

'Yeah, we'll never know,' he muttered in agreement, indicating that the conversation was closed by burying his reddened face in a textbook, swearing silently that he would never again go along with a plan hatched by two girls and a Coordinator.

Drew, however, was quite at home with lying through his teeth for the sake of theater and was more interested in studying Ash's reaction than forgetting the last five minutes had ever happened.

Questionable in its creativity though the "script" had been, it seemed to have done the trick, even with Paul's shaky delivery. Ash was staring down at his lap with a blank expression, ignoring Daisy entirely as she rattled on and on, utterly lost in his own convulsed contemplations.

Daisy finally noticed that she did not hold Ash's full attention and with a little peeved frown, she tried to call him back to her with a light, teasing comment about how his inattention must be due to his increasing nerves over the fast-approaching Doubleteam League. However, Ash failed to join in with the jest, more interested in staring blankly out the window; leaving Daisy to laugh alone at her weak attempt at humor. Her friends began to exchange brightly interested glances and with a little offended flounce, Daisy elected to leave Ash with his own thoughts. But Ash barely acknowledged her departure, mumbling something under his breath about seeing her after class. Daisy replied haughtily that she hoped so, before rising majestically from his desk and gliding over to her own seat on the other side of the room.

Ash was far too busy to care about his "girlfriend" and her obvious displeasure at his mental absence, though. He was turning Paul and Drew's words over furiously in his head, trying desperately to make sense of them. Was it even _possible_ that Misty had not desired to be rid of him in the first place? Could something have happened that forced her to leave him so cruelly in the dust? He slouched back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling as he ignored the continuous chatter around him.

He shot Drew a suspicious look, but the Coordinator was too busy doodling on his notebook to notice. Paul was staring blankly out of the window and also failed to acknowledge his vaguely petitioning look. Ash bit his lip nervously. Should he just swallow his pride and ask what they had meant? The thought made him immediately uncomfortable. He knew he hadn't been much of a friend this week, and he also knew that if he was going to admit to eavesdropping on their conversation, it was going to require an apology of some kind; something he was sure he couldn't bring himself to do. He had no specific vendetta against either of his friends, and looking back he regretted how he had treated them. His fury at Misty had spilled into every crevice of his life and he knew that he had taken much of it out on them, as well as using them to boost his own credibility.

However, what if he asked them and they turned against him for it? What if it was something they had intended to keep between them, and they got angry at him for listening in? Relations between he and his two friends were shaky at best at the moment, and he wasn't sure if he could take it if they turned their backs on him – he'd have no one.

And what if there was no basis for their statements at all? What if they'd just been idly speculating? He'd spent the last week pretending to them that he had no interest at all in Misty's doings, and such an inquiry would reveal just how desperate he was to win her back. He'd humble himself for nothing.

Ash's brain swam with questions and he shook his head sharply, rubbing his forehead. He was used to just acting without thinking and hoping for the best. His new strategy of over analyzing everything was enough to give anyone a migraine. With a strained groan he dropped his head to the table, wishing for the millionth time that everything would just go back to the way it was.

This new insight made him vulnerable. He missed Misty so bad that it made him more reckless and susceptible for persuasion than ever, and this new flicker of hope that it had all been a mistake was a dangerous thing to contemplate. If he pursued it and it all came to nothing…well, he wasn't sure if he could handle that. The most sensible thing to do was to just pretend that he had never heard it at all. If Drew and Paul had concrete evidence that Misty hadn't acted of her own free will, they would have told him so – of that he was sure.

Still…he'd be keeping an even tighter eye on her than usual.

Out of the corner of his eye, Drew watched Ash and smiled. Phase Two was complete.

*****

The room was almost unnaturally quiet; so quiet that a student could hear the breathing of his neighbor in the desk across the aisle. Absent were the usual noises that went hand in hand with classroom learning - no pencil leads scraped gratingly over new paper; no nervous hands fumbled with the pages of clumsy textbooks; no pens clattered to the floor, slipping from the grip of their jaded wielders. Twenty students sat stiffly in their chairs, their brightly colored worksheets untouched and their fingers idle. No one was interested in filling in the blanks in the paragraph on the migratory patterns of Spearow; the clock, whose sluggish hands retained them like a jailer, held every remnant of their attention.

Professor Birch looked up from the stack of papers he was grading, raising an eyebrow at the universally rapt expressions. He sighed, leaning wearily back in his chair as he resisted the urge to scratch the itchy green face paint from the tip of his nose. How anyone expected students to learn under such circumstances was beyond him. Feeling benevolent, and perhaps remembering his own days as an impatient teenage trainer, he glanced at his watch. It was three minutes fast.

He shifted his chair back and stood up suddenly. With his swift motion came the dipping of twenty heads, their faces peering with almost laughably false interest at the pages in front of them. The Professor suppressed a chuckle as he gazed over the motley crows with no little affection, toying with their patience just a little longer.

'Class is dismissed,' he murmured into the quiet, smiling to himself.

The effect was instantaneous. A collective whoop of release echoed through the little room as students leapt to their feet, pages falling unchecked to the floor as they hastily gathered their belongings in the scramble for the door, calling out fervent thanks to their new favorite teacher.

Misty was no exception. Her little red back pack already carefully packed, she sprang to her feet as soon as the signal of freedom came, leading the closely following May and Dawn through the flurry of less organized people towards the door.

The three girls were the first from their classroom to exit into the hall, but the noise their homeroom had raised upon release had triggered a chain reaction. Even as they raced along the hallway, classroom doors sprang open in front of them, withreams of students fleeing the restraints of their teachers to join the throng. Within seconds, the narrow corridor was packed with students ruthlessly shoving each other aside in an attempt to make it to the Battle Complex first.

Misty, May, and Dawn somehow managed to stay together in the bedlam, allowing the tide of the crowd itself to pull them along. By the time they entered the Battle Complex they were hopelessly far back in the line snaking from Nurse Joy's desk. Misty sighed impatiently, levering herself up on her toes in an attempt to view and estimate the number of people in front of her. She, like the rest of the school, wouldn't find out who her first partner was until she met with the pink-haired Nurse, and the idea of waiting for such vital information did not sit well with her.

'This is going to take _forever_,' she grumbled to her two equally discouraged companions.

'I know,' Dawn complained, jumping up and down in a fruitless attempt to see over the head of the huge guy in front of them. 'How did we get stuck so far back? We practically sprinted all the way from class!'

'Being first in line wouldn't have changed anything, you know,' May put in sensibly. 'All first partners are predetermined, so you don't really gain anything from finding out quickly.'

'Yes you do!' Dawn argued back. 'If your meet with your partner early you can use the time to discuss strategy! That's vital in a double battle!'

May rolled her eyes and sighed. 'Whatever you say, Dawn,' she replied in exasperation. Shehad enough on her plate without adding a pointless argument with her friend into the mix. Besides, Dawn could be amazingly stubborn when it came to defending her own point of view.

Misty, however, wasn't listening to either. She was too busy peering out from within the ever increasing line, trying unsuccessfully to get a glimpse of what was going on at the front of the line and whether any students had succeeded in discovering who their partners were. She tapped her foot impatiently, and was just contemplating using Gyarados to blast her way to the front when someone interrupted her train of thought.

'Misty! Misty! Over here!'

Startled, Misty turned around in search of the disembodied voice calling her name. She almost leapt out of her skin when a tall, gangly looking boy with silvery blue hair and an almost manic grin dove through the line and bolted straight for her.

'Hey Misty!' he cried enthusiastically, grabbing her hand and pumping it up and down in the most forceful handshake Misty had ever experienced. 'How are you?'

'Uhhh…' Misty blinked dimly, her eyes widening as she stared blankly at the total stranger. She had absolutely no idea who this mystery person was - but apparently, he knew _her_.

'Er, hello!' she said as brightly as possible in attempt to salvage her clumsy attempt at a greeting, stepping backwards quickly and almost bumping into someone. Clearly, this unknown boy had never heard of the phrase _personal space._ She shot Dawn and May an alarmed look as she frantically tried to recall where or when she had met this person, and why he should be so exceptionally pleased to see her.

The boy seemed to realize what Misty's bewildered expression meant and his face dropped like a stone. 'You don't remember me, do you? Do you?' he asked mournfully.

A vague shadow of a memory stirred in the back of Misty's mind at the sight of the boy's pitiful expression, and then suddenly everything fell into place. 'You came to the Gym to challenge me for a Cascade badge last year, didn't you?' she exclaimed triumphantly, thanking Mew for sparing her from an awkward moment. 'Uhh...Ed…Ethan!'

The boy's face lit up like a gas drenched campfire. 'You do remember me!' he shouted, pumping his fist in the air.

'Of course,' Misty lied, trying not to smirk as she remembered just how easily she had crushed this weedy challenger.

The boy was too busy indulging in a private celebratory dance to listen. '_Oh_ yeah, we are _so_ going to win! Watch out world, here come Ethan and Misty!'

Misty's self-satisfied grin vanished as she froze, staring at the boy in utter perplexity. 'What?' she questioned blankly.

'You're my first partner!' Ethan trilled happily. 'We're going to win together!'

Misty's mouth fell open as she gazed unabashedly at the gleefully cheering boy, and she suppressed a groan. Clearly, the fates were out to ruin her life and make her miserable. Perhaps this was her comeuppance for privately gloating over her defeat of this admittedly naïve and trusting boy – which, funnily enough, didn't seem that funny any more.

Misty tried to smile under Ethan's attentive gaze, but the gesture came off more as a pained grimace of a tortured soul than anything. 'Cool!' she managed to grind out, baring her teeth as she tried to jerk the corners of her mouth sufficiently upwards.

Ethan relaxed so visibly that Misty almost, for a brief, wonderful second, wanted to laugh – she'd never met anyone who wore their emotions so boldly. Not even Ash, master of throwing caution to the wind, was this transparent – or this gullible. She had a feeling she could tell this Ethan that the moon was a hollow ball of cheese inhabited with hungry Pokémon and he'd believe her.

However, Misty didn't have time to dwell on her little private joke as Ethan darted forwards, latched himself onto her arm and began dragging her away. 'Well, come on!' he said briskly, his tone amazingly patronizing for someone who had been on the verge of a disappointment-induced breakdown just moments before. 'I didn't come over here for nothing, you know, we can get started right away! Nurse Joy said you could come and change you're Pokémon out, and then we need to talk strategy before the match…'

Misty threw her head up in indignation, jerking her arm from Ethan's vicelike grip instantly. Okay, she was more than willing to be _nice_ to her partner, annoying though he was (mostly because it was necessary for them to be on good terms if they were going to have a chance at winning their battle) but she was not about to let herself be manhandled. Especially not by some kid who thought he knew her just because he'd had the guts to challenge her for a gym badge.

Ethan noticed the force with which she regained control of her abused arm and turned around, surprise and hurt mingled in his expression. Misty cursed her hasty temper, sighing heavily as she ran a hand through her already tousled locks. She hadn't meant to hurt his feelings. Okay, so he was a bit clingy and oddly bossy, but he was clearly a fan of hers – it wouldn't cost her anything to let him think he called the shots. Her temper was just so tenuously bound these days. The slightest, most insignificant little incident aggravated it, and she was finding it increasingly difficult to keep it under control.

But she certainly didn't want to take out a week's aggravation on this innocent, well meaning boy, tempting though it was. And after all, partnering with someone like Ethan wouldn't seriously dim her chances of getting to the second round, as long as they didn't get put up against an impervious team, like Ash had in the practice round. She would just do her best with what she'd been given – that was what Training was all about, after all.

So Misty smiled at him as brightly as she could, watching with another prick of amusement as his features noticeably slackened with relief before her very eyes. 'Lead the way, Ethan!' she said, her tone upbeat.

Ethan's responding smile was radiant with renewed hope. 'Let's go and change out your Pokémon!' he said enthusiastically, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet.

Misty nodded. 'I'll meet you at Nurse Joy's desk in just a minute, okay?'

Ethan glanced quickly at May and Dawn before nodding in understanding, and with a quick wave he disappeared.

Misty turned to her friends, who had remained respectfully silent throughout her discourse with the young, eager trainer.

'Good luck in your first matches, guys,' she said brightly, her tone infused with her trademark determination. Anything could happen in a Pokémon battle, and she wasn't relinquishing this one without a fight. Besides, in the end it didn't matter who her partner was, because she was going to win this one either way. She was Misty Waterflower, Cerulean Gym Leader and aspiring Water Pokémon Master. There was no way she was going out in thefirst round.

'Good luck, Misty!' May replied enthusiastically, reaching out to give her friend an encouraging squeeze. 'You'll do great!'

'Yeah, you're gonna rock this joint,' Dawn put in as she pushed May out of the way and hugged Misty herself. 'I'm sure we'll run into you soon, 'kay?'

'Yeah,' Misty grinned gratefully. 'Thanks guys, I'll see you later.'

With a final wave, the fiery haired Trainer turned and followed in the steps of her partner, her head held high.

'It'll take more than a useless partner to stop Misty, huh?' May commented amusedly as the Gym Leader melted into the heaving crowd.

'He might be better than he looks,' Dawn pointed out fairly. 'And he had the right idea about being first. I told you it was a good idea.'

May shrugged. 'I guess you're right. Misty can use the extra time to figure out his weaknesses and devise a plan that makes up for them. And who knew Misty was so popular with her challengers? That boy was practically drooling!'

Dawn laughed in agreement. 'Poor Misty hasn't had an awful lot of luck with men lately, has she?' she commented wryly.

'Well, that makes three of us,' May sighed, suddenly growing pensive. 'We should start a club – y'know, 'Single Girls Who Attract Losers and Repel Real Men' or something.'

Dawn frowned. 'What's that supposed to mean?' she demanded. 'It's only a matter of time before Drew asks you out and you know it!'

'No I don't!' May argued hotly, her face reddening. 'All I know is that I'm going to the dance alone and I turned down yet _another_ delusional male this morning!'

Dawn gaped. 'What???' she exclaimed in outrage. 'Someone else asked you to the dance and you didn't _tell_ me?'

'I didn't have time!' May replied defensively, looking a little alarmed at Dawn's intensely slighted expression. 'It happened right before class – good thing, too, because I couldn't think of any way to keep Misty away from homeroom and I think I was sort of freaking her out.' May shook her head, chagrinned by the memory of how she had dragged Misty to the bathrooms and then proclaimed that she didn't have to go after all.

'Anyway, I was on the verge of faking a broken ankle when he just appeared out of no where and asked me!'

Dawn lifted her eyes to the heavens, praying silently for patience and for her friend to grow a couple more brain cells as she resisted the overwhelming urge to smack May on the back of the head. '_Who _asked you, idiot?!' she howled, grabbing her friend's arm and shaking it in exasperation.

May blinked. 'Oh – er, Ritchie. It was Ritchie who asked me.'

Dawn immediately lost interest in the idea of physically harming May, as her mouth dropped open and her eyes sparkled at this most excellent gossip. '_Ritchie?'_ she gasped dramatically. 'Ritchie asked you? That's unbelievable!'

'I know, right?' May said, her lips twisting into a reluctant smile against her will – or at least, against her conscience. 'I couldn't believe it - I mean, I barely know him!'

'What exactly did he say?' Dawn demanded.

'Nothing much – just that he'd had his eye on me since I had that double battle against him – you know, when Misty was my partner? Anyway, he just said he'd heard I didn't have a date and would I like to go with him?'

'What happened then?' Dawn asked eagerly.

'Well, I really didn't want to be stuck going with him so I just came up with this crap that I'd specifically decided to go without a date so that I could have fun with my friends…Dawn, stop laughing!' May scolded playfully, smothering the laughter that itched to break free and join in with Dawn. 'Why is that so funny? It's _almost _true and I didn't want to be stuck with him for the evening! How awkward would that have been?'

'It's only funny,' Dawn cackled, wiping a tear from her eye, 'because I said the exact same thing to Kenny this morning!'

May gasped scandalously, her eyes widening. 'He asked you again?' she squawked, giving in and dissolving into guilty giggles. 'You've already rejected him twice! Desperate, much?'

Dawn's eyes sparkled mischievously as she bit her lip, attempting to suppress her laughter. 'He just will _not_ get the message! I mean, after two rejections, you think he'd wise up and hit on someone new!'

'Some boys are very, very slow at picking things up,' May said in mock seriousness, her eyes gleaming meaningfully as she grinned.

Dawn grinned. 'Yeah, I know two in particular who are even slower than Ash Ketchum…and that's really saying something!'

'Yeah, and he'd better be worth it - Ritchie was the final straw but turning down Conway was even worse! I didn't even know he liked me, I thought he liked you! I barely know him!'

'I can't believe he actually thought he had a chance with you – and then he had the freakin' nerve to ask me after you'd turned him down! I mean, _surely_ it must have crossed his pea-sized brain that you would _tell_ me that he'd asked you first!'

'Ugh, what is _wrong_ with everyone around here? It's like, the entire school has suddenly discovered that neither of us have dates, and now every sad sack in the place seems to think we're free game!'

'I know, boys can be so _stupid_ - '

'A-_hem._'

May let out a high-pitched squeak, her face blanching positively white when she saw who it was who had spoken. Dawn was not so lucky. She did not seem to notice the interruption at all, ploughing unwittingly on with her list of grievances and ignoring how May's hand was flapping wildly in her direction in an attempt to shut her up.

'…have to spend the evening dancing with a load of losers instead of with - '

May's eyes widened infinitesimally as she let out a strangled gasp, and with lightening speed she reached out her foot and tread hard on Dawn's pink booted toes. The blue-haired Coordinator jumped as she let out a yelp, yanking her abused digits out from under May's punishing sneaker.

'Ow!' she howled mournfully, eyeballing her friend ferociously as she leaned down to check the state of her battered boots, gingerly wiggling her toes inside their fur encasing. 'What was that for?' she demanded.

May did not reply; all she could manage was a vague gesture in the direction of somewhere over Dawn's shoulder. 'What?' Dawn asked impatiently, turning her head as she eased her foot back to the floor.

Her stomach almost dropped out of her body.

A hot, prickly flush began to creep up Dawn's neck as she stared at the two boys, silently cursing her own recklessness. She could hardly believe she had been so stupid. They had agreed, when laying down the master plan just days before, that a meeting today would be necessary to ensure that Phase Two had gone entirely to plan – and yet somehow she had managed to forget that the two boys could approach her and May at any time. Holding an intensely private conversation in the middle of a room packed with gossip-hungry teenagers was perhaps not the smartest move in the world, but this…this was a hundred times worse. From the looks on the two boys' faces, she could tell that they had been privy to at least part of her and May's conversation, and yet there was no way to tell how long they had been standing there.

'Um,' Dawn swallowed nervously, attempting to break the intensely awkward silence. She snuck a glance at Paul; he wasn't even looking at her. He was staring off into the distance, his expression closed and blank and his mouth set into a taut, disapproving line. Dawn swallowed thickly as a wave of humiliation washed over her, but she endeavored to hide it, and her voice was shakily cheery when she spoke. 'Hello Paul. Hello Drew.'

Paul made no move to reply. Drew, who had been studying the floor as if it were the most fascinating thing he had ever seen, started out of his reverie as Dawn's forced attempt at jollity punctuated the stiff quiet. 'Er - hello,' he choked out with only a shadow of his usual suaveness, focusing on a vague point between the two girl's faces and trying to ignore the fact that they now resembled two human tomatoes.

'Hi,' May echoed faintly, attempting to pull her bandana down lower over her crimson face as she wished fervently for a hole to appear in the ground so that she could throw herself into it.

Drew cleared his throat awkwardly and shifted from foot to foot, his mind a long way away from the current conversation. Paul looked like he'd rather commit murder with a chainsaw than join in with this happy little conversation, so it fell to him to get to the point. 'Uhhh…we just wanted to check that everything went okay with Ash and the, y'know - costume thing.'

'He's going to wear it,' Dawn mumbled immediately. She figured that as soon as she told them what they needed to know, the sooner they could just _go. _'So that….er, went well. He didn't kill me, at least.'

Drew nodded vaguely, his gaze darting to May's face. 'Yes, yes – uh, good. Yeah, um…we just wanted to tell you that Ash definitely heard us talking, though he didn't ask us about it, hopefully he'll remember what we said at, y'know, the right time.'

'That's good,' May volunteered bravely, raising her eyes from her toes and steeling herself to look into Drew's face. As their eyes met the pinkish flush on Drew's cheeks darkened and they both looked hastily away. However_**, **_before she could stop herself, May's gaze slid back to the face of the object of her affections, but this time he wasn't looking at her. He was glancing warily at his stoic friend.

Paul had given no indication that he was aware of the ongoing conversation, or even of the presence of the two girls. He continued to stare distantly over Dawn's head, his face coolly smooth, but his dark eyes burned with aggravation. May swallowed a little nervously and unconsciously sidled sympathetically closer to Dawn. Her friend's face was frozen into a bright smile but she was clearly dying a little on the inside.

An icy silence crept upon them, stretching on in unbroken lines and robbing them of any attempt at reconciliation, numbing their minds and stilling their senses. Suddenly, May could bear it no longer. She was sure her head approximately resembled a ripened strawberry and if she looked anything like Dawn at the moment, it was not an attractive look. She was about to grab her friend and flee to some hitherto unknown sanctuary when Paul abruptly turned on his heel and marched away, without even so much as glancing at Dawn.

Drew blinked rapidly as he watched his friend disappear, suddenly acutely aware that his charming, thoughtful friend had left him very alone with the two girls. He hastily tried to gather his wits and excuse himself as gallantly as possible. Unfortunately_**, **_the best he could manage was a jerky wave as he hurriedly backed away like a cornered animal.

'Got to go, see you later,' he gabbled ambiguously, risking a last glance at May's purple visage. 'Good luck with the tournament!' And with that, he turned tail and dove into the undulating crowds, pushing in the vague direction that Paul had disappeared off to. He was gone as quickly as he had appeared.

For a brief moment the suffocating silence endured as the two girls stared blankly into the milling crowds with shell-shocked expressions. Then Dawn let out a low, mortified groan, covering her face with her hands and burying her head in May's stiff shoulder.

'I _told _you it was good to be first,' she wailed pathetically.

*****

Owari! Will May and Dawn be able to look at Drew and Paul in the face ever again? Will Ash or Misty crack under the pressure? Will Professor Oak jump out from under your bed tonight and serenade you with 'Heartbreak Hotel?' Guess we'll have to find out :) There's not that much more of this to go, peeps, so stay tuned!

Apologies to Penguinshippers – yes, I agree that in the anime, Dawn is more likely to end up with Kenny than with Paul, but I wanted to convey just how popular she and May are at Pokemon High and unfortunately, he fitted the role perfectly.

Song inspiration: My Sharona by The Knack, All The Things She Said by Tatu and Cherub Rock by the Smashing Pumpkins.

**Review Replies:**

Once again, I was blown away by the reception of my last chapter, and I, as always, was gratified to learn how much you all seemed to enjoy it. I wish I could convey to you all just how invaluable your support is, and I hope you will stick with me to the end. Seriously, I owe all of you one! I wish I had time to thank you all personally, but I'm going to give **Samia-chan **another shout out because her review pretty much rocked my world. Seriously, girl, you are awesome – I love how you include your favorite parts into your review, cause it helps me know what I'm doing right, if you know what I mean. But so much love and thanks to all of you who take the time to review – yay for my readers!!!

To my anonymous reviewer **dfhrfthfgh** – please, don't be so rude in demanding an update. I appreciate the interest you take in this story, but I am the author and I will dictate my own updating schedule in accordance with the demands real life makes upon me. This story means a lot to me and I work on it constantly, but please try to appreciate the time and effort that goes into just one chapter. I am happy to say that **TL **agrees with me on this point (wow, something we agree on!) and has given me permission to say that he resents your attitude in general. Yay for me and my beta!

'Til next time, peeps :P


	19. Bop To The Top

Hello, my lovely readers!!! I know it's been a while, but things have been pretty crazy in my world. I am happy to say that I really like this chapter, but writing this was a bit of a mixed experience. First, I was so busy that I could hardly find the time to work on it, and then, when I managed to get about three thousand words written, I hit yet another major mental block. There was so much happening in this installment and so many characters involved that I just couldn't figure out the best way to manage everything. Then, once I had my plan in place, I pretty much worked solidly, but since I am so picky about my battle scenes, progress was incredibly slow. Eventually, when this hit over thirteen thousand words in its unfinished form, I knew I had to split it into two. However, this is a good thing for all of you because it means that the next chapter is just a few paragraphs away from being finished!

A big thank you goes, as usual, to my incredibly awesome beta **Texas Longhorn,** for his help with this chapter. I can't find it in my heart to be mean to this guy because to be honest, I'm too busy feeling grateful for all his help and support. Not only did he check this for grammar problems but he also filled out an entire questionnaire about this chapter's content and direction. So…yeah, I sound really mushy right now but I actually don't care. Yay for TL!

And now, I proudly present…

Chapter Nineteen: Bop To The Top

Ash felt the familiar rush of adrenaline pulse through his veins as he weighed the battle in front of him. The Tangrowth on the other side of the field was wavering, its bluish vine-wrapped body blackened and dusty from the Flamethrower attack that had engulfed it just seconds before, courtesy of Ritchie's Flareon. Ash took a deep breath, the blood pounding in his head. This was it – his chance to seize victory.

'Heracross, use Megahorn!' he shouted.

The Pokémon didn't hesitate. 'Hera!' it cried loudly, leaping clean over the visibly tiring Flareon as it charged towards its only remaining enemy, its horn glowing with an eerie white light. The sound of the collision echoed through the stadium as the Tangrowth was thrown backwards, emitting an echoing cry of agony as it landed heavily on the ground by its Trainer's feet.

'Tangrowth!' the anxious boy cried as he raced forwards and crouched by his Pokémon, his face contorted with a painful mix of anxiety, disappointment, and resignation. His partner shuffled hesitantly forwards and leaned down, patting the limp Pokémon awkwardly. The boy smiled gratefully at the girl and, after whispering a few comforting words to his faithful companion, stood and recalled it into its Pokeball.

Ash released a tense breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, and turned to his own partner. 'Nice job, Ritchie,' he commented cheerfully, grinning at his cohort as he stuck his hand out.

Ritchie seized Ash's hand gratefully. 'Great match, Ash. I hope I don't have to go up against you in the next round, 'cause dude, you're on fire today.'

'Er – thanks. So are you,' Ash replied awkwardly, scratching his head. He felt a little guilty, returning the compliment, because in fact something akin to the opposite was true for his partner. Ritchie was an excellent Trainer, and though he hadn't quite kept up with Ash in their years apart since the Whirl Cup, he was usually a force to be reckoned with. Today, however, his performance had been markedly inferior to his usual standards; his attitude towards the battle apathetic and his air distinctly sulky. Ash didn't know what could have happened to provoke such grumpiness in someone usually so levelheaded, but he wisely did not ask. It was largely through his own efforts that they'd won the match, but Ash wasn't complaining – he was used to relying on his own wit and skill to further himself in his ambitions. He just hoped he didn't get partnered with Ritchie again in the next round, because he wasn't sure how much further he could carry his old rival and acquaintance.

He did have to admit though – what Ritchie said was right. He'd pretty much owned all his competition so far, and it was a gratifying feeling. Far from suffering under the strain of the day's rigorous battle schedule, Ash was flourishing under the pressure of the tournament, relishing the twists and turns of the changeful competition style. If nothing else, it helped keep his mind from the hell that was his life at the moment. Besides,__he'd made his mind up that he was going to win this thing, and when Ash made his mind up, nothing could stop him.

The first round had been easy. His partner, a sharp-eyed sophomore with a passion for Fire Pokémon, was not in the least overwhelmed by the prospect of partnering the reigning Champion, greeting Ash with dignified enthusiasm. Ash had battled the boy just weeks earlier in a Training match and was thus aware of his partner's strengths and limitations as a Trainer. Secure in such knowledge, Ash was sure that together they could destroy any competition heading their way.

In that at least, Ash was proved right. Their opponents were a hopelessly mismatched pair – a pompous Coordinator who proceeded to waste all of his valuable attack power on flashy moves and extravagant combinations, and an uptight, bespectacled Trainer who grew increasingly aggravated with her partner's flourish and tried to insist that they employ some insanely complicated multileveled battle strategy. The entire spectacle deteriorated rapidly, ending with the two supposed teammates engaging in their own private vendetta Pokémon battle instead of actually fighting the opposition like they were supposed to. The exasperated referee relinquished the match to Ash and his partner without delay.

Relieved to escape the rapidly-escalating display, Ash returned to Nurse Joy's desk and changed out his Pokémon. He was careful to leave his more powerful specimens from his team, intent on saving them for his later matches which would undoubtedly prove more testing. After confirming which field his second battle was to be on, Ash located and introduced himself to his second partner.

Kimberly, a timid sophomore-aged girl with a mop of white blonde hair and a rather protective Houndoom, seemed totally ill at ease with the concept of a Pairs tournament, and greeted Ash with little more than a faltering smile. However, despite her obvious lack in self-confidence, Ash found himself pleasantly surprised by her performance. Her Pokémon showed signs of having been excellently trained, obeying her slightest command with unhesitating enthusiasm.

It was lucky that he was paired with such a competent partner, as his second round opposition proved a lot tougher than those he had previously faced. The two opposing trainers were capable and well-organized, working together efficiently as they each adjusted their battle strategies to suit the nature of the other's Pokémon. All the monsters they used were strong and obedient, firing out powerful attacks as they worked together as seamlessly as their masters.

Ash enjoyed the battle immensely, but in the end, it was his team that prevailed. The two losing boys took it well, gallantly shaking Ash and Kimberly's hands before wandering away together, deep in discussion over the mistakes they had made and the overpowering strength of the Champion's Pokémon. Ash guessed that he'd unwittingly helped forge a new friendship.

After saying goodbye to Kimberly, who had blushed profusely under his shower of sincere praise, Ash found himself rather at a loose end. Rock Field Three, where his third battle was to be, was still in use; its occupants battling it out for a place in the third round. Ash wasn't fazed by the delay, though. He'd been thrilled to learn that his next partner was Ritchie and satisfied that such an experienced partner would mean an easy victory in the upcoming match, he found himself refreshed from the short break.

He spent his extra time wandering around the Battle Complex, searching for his friends so he could watch their battles. He spotted May destroying one of Drew's most annoying fangirls with a manic smile on her face; Drew smirking in a most unsportsmanlike way as he shook hands with his defeated opponent, an upstart Coordinator who'd had the audacity to criticize his performance in the last Intraschool Contest; and Paul battling hard against two tough Trainer opponents, not even trying to get his apathetic partner to contribute something to the match.

Though Ash surreptitiously scanned every battlefield in the vicinity, he could catch no sight of Misty. Not that he was looking or anything, he told himself.

Eventually Ash's field became free and he met up with Ritchie, who was also fresh from a victory. The battle itself was an odd affair. One half of the opposing team was a loud, brash young Coordinator with talent and attitude in equal doses. He seemed delighted at the prospect of defeating the current Champion. Ash was reminded uncomfortably of himself in his early trainer days, when he had skipped around Kanto carelessly challenging those clearly superior to himself, and he just hoped that this cocky kid didn't possess the same luck that he himself had been blessed with back in those days. However, to Ash's guilty private relief, there was just one tiny hitch in this annoying kid's plan. His partner was a regular in Drew's fan club meetings, a petite sophomore age girl with a mass of frizzy mauve hair and a permanent pout. She seemed more interested in checking her reflection in a pocket mirror and admiring her new manicure than taking part in the battle.

How such a pathetic battler had made it so far in the competition, Ash would never know – he could only assume that she'd been exceptionally lucky with her partners so far. Remembering his struggle when he'd been partnered with__the hapless Amy against the might of Gary and Paul, Ash found it in his heart to feel some pity as the overconfident kid floundered uselessly under the heat of his attacks; utterly unsupported by his useless partner. The battle hadn't lasted long, and Ash was glad that it was over. He didn't like drawing out the defeat of younger, more tenuous Trainers – it always made him feel bad.

Ash and Ritchie strode forward onto the uneven rocky surface. Their opposition was just finishing shaking hands with each other and, without preamble, Ash offered his hand to his male competitor.

'Good match, Connor,' he commented briskly.

The boy smiled somewhat dryly. In the months he had been at Pokémon High he'd somehow never had to face the Champion, and he just wished he hadn't talked so big to his friends about beating Ash Ketchum if they ever faced off in a match. They were sure to make him eat his own words when they heard about this.

'Thanks, Ash,' Connor replied, smiling boldly. 'Good luck with the rest of the competition. You have to win now, so I can tell my dad I lost to the Champion and not to some loser who went out in the fourth round.'

Ash chuckled wryly. 'I'll do my best,' he promised with a grin. He just hoped he could live up to the kid's expectations – for both their sakes.

*****

Dawn sighed impatiently, her foot tapping the cool steel floor as she surveyed the battle still raging on Ice Field Three. Her quarter final match was due to be conducted there right now, but at the rate the current occupants were going, it was going to be forever before her own battle could get started. There was no sign of her prospective opponents, nor of her new partner, and Dawn reluctantly resigned herself to the fact that with so many battles happening at once, things were bound to get a little out of sync.

She slumped down on a nearby metal park bench, artfully decorated with a sprinkling of fake snow, and swung her legs up onto the gilded metal armrest. Might as well get comfortable, she thought languidly.

She was just mentally scrolling though the list of Pokémon she had chosen for her fourth round when a rapid pair of footfalls approached her from behind. Turning quickly around she saw that it was May. Her friend looked positively traumatized, her eyes wide and wild and her hair spilling messily out from underneath her loosened bandana.

'Dawn!' May managed to gasp as she staggered towards her friend, clutching a stitch. She pushed Dawn's pink booted feet to the floor and flung herself down on the bench, clutching manically at her friend. 'You'll never guess what happened!'

'You didn't get knocked out already did you?' Dawn cried sympathetically, taking in her friend's distraught expression. 'Oh May, I'm so sorry! What happened?'

But May shook her head violently, still trying to catch her breath. 'No, no, I'm still in the competition! But you'll never guess who my next partner is!'

'Oh my__gosh, please don't say Drew,' Dawn intoned quickly, her expression immediately growing alarmed. 'Oh gosh, that's awful! What are you going to do? You'll just have to-'

'No no no, not Drew!' May moaned agonizingly. 'Even worse than Drew!'

'Worse than Drew?' Dawn exclaimed in amazement. 'Who's worse than Drew? Wait, not…PAUL?' she gasped in horror, her eyes widening.

'No, you idiot!' May interrupted impatiently. 'In case you've forgotten, I don't care what Paul thinks! That's you, remember?'

'Well, who is it then?' Dawn demanded, her cheeks pinkening.

May paused for dramatic effect, assuming a suitably pained expression. '_Gary!'_ she shrieked.

Dawn's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. 'WHAT?!' she yelled.

'I know, right?' May cried mournfully. 'I hate my life! What have I done to deserve such punishment? I must have been a serial killer in my previous life because I - ' Her pitiful monologue was cut off when Dawn suddenly let out a gleeful laugh, a wide grin stretching across her face.

'Dawn!' she yelled, scandalized. 'Why the heck are you laughing? This isn't funny! My life is already over, and now I've got to partner my arch enemy!'

Dawn wasn't listening. 'This is perfect!' she cried, smiling expectantly at her friend as if waiting for her to agree.

May's mouth dropped open. 'What?' she shrieked, her eyes blazing. 'Do you know what this means? It means I have to spend the next half hour with that creep, attempting to work with him, when I know he's responsible for wrecking my best friends' lives and generally making everybody miserable! It means if I want to make it to the next level of competition I have to drag him with me! _How_ is that in any way perfect?'

'Okay, well that does suck,' Dawn conceded quickly, taking note of May's murderous expression. 'I mean, it would have been better if you'd been put up against him so you could have run him into the ground, right? Right?'

May nodded morosely, only slightly placated. 'What I mean is,' Dawn continued carefully, 'this is perfect for the master plan! You can lay the ground work for this evening! Get him softened up! It'll look less suspicious this way, and our job this evening will be so much the easier for it!'

'Soften him up?' May replied frostily. 'And what exactly do you mean by that, Dawn?'

'Oh, nothing too serious,' Dawn replied, enthusiasm creeping back into her tone. 'Y'know, just flirt a little, flash him a little leg - '

'I AM NOT GOING TO FLASH GARY OAK ANYTHING!' May howled, looking dangerously close to some sort of breakdown as she smacked the bench's armrest with her fist. 'Are you crazy or something? It's bad enough that I have to work with that slimy backstabbing git, _and_ swan around this evening in that ridiculous outfit you concocted for me, but I will not make any more of a fool out of myself, thank you very much! I've done enough of that for today!'

'Okay, okay, calm down!' Dawn soothed hurriedly, looking startled by her friend's sudden, violent outburst. 'It was just a suggestion!'

'I mean, what if Drew was to see me flirting with Gary, huh? Huh?' May ranted obliviously. 'Where would I be then? He'd never come near me ever again!'

'Will you chill _out_ May?' Dawn yelled, looking harassed. 'You're gonna give yourself a hernia!'

'I AM CHILLED OUT!' May hollered, her face as red as a beetroot. 'YOU'RE THE UNCHILL ONE!'

'I'm not the one yelling like a psychotic cheerleader, am I?'

'No, you're the one suggesting that I sacrifice my dignity on the altar of humiliation, all for the sake of your stupid little plan! I mean, what - '

'I _get _it, okay? Now calm down, you look like you're going to explode like a tomato in a pressure cooker. Deep breaths, that's it – in and out, in and out!'

The furious blush on May's face began to fade as she reluctantly took her friends advice, swaying back and forth as she inhaled and released short, soothing gulps of air. Her grip on Dawn's wrist began to loosen and her manic expression began to relax into something distinctly more sheepish.

'I'm sorry, okay?' Dawn said in exasperation. 'It was just a suggestion. You didn't need to get so _defensive_ on me.'

'Er, yeah – sorry about that,' May mumbled, coughing awkwardly as she quickly regained her senses. 'But how would _you_ feel if you had to work with Slimeball of the Century, and then I told you to go and prance around like a stupid fangirl in front of him?'

'Okay, so perhaps it wasn't a very _tactful_ suggestion,' Dawn replied, her chagrin matching May's as she fiddled with her hat. 'Uh - I really am sorry, May. I guess I didn't think, but…working with Gary sounds pretty awful. I hate that you get stuck with him. He's a creep, that's for sure.'

'S'okay. I know you didn't mean it,' May mumbled, shooting her friend a small, embarrassed smile.

Dawn grinned. 'No problem, psycho girl – but you had me worried for a moment there. I thought I was going to have to call an ambulance or something.'

May giggled, grabbing Dawn's hand and giving it a quick squeeze. 'I'm glad you were there to stop me from going into apoplectic shock or something!' The two girls shared a laugh, but May's expression quickly grew pensive. 'Ugh, what is wrong with me? Ever since the…incident this morning, I've hardly been able to think straight. It amazes me that I even made it this far in the competition because I can hardly think of anything else and when I do…' She trailed off with a wordless groan.

Dawn grimaced. 'I know what you mean about being on edge. I almost killed one of my partners earlier, I was so wound up!'

There was a brief silence, punctuated when May began to giggle softly, slapping her palm over her mouth.

Dawn looked over at her in amazement. 'What?'

May grinned guiltily, her eyes glimmering with mischief. 'Boy, we really did put our feet in it bad, didn't we?'

Dawn moaned comically, covering her face with her hands. 'I have no idea how I'm going to face him this evening, it's going to be terrible!' she mumbled, biting back her own laughter.

May sighed theatrically. 'Let's just hope those costumes of yours work, cause we are going to need them wrapped around our little fingers if we're going to make it through tonight without killing ourselves.' She paused for a moment. 'Er, by the way Dawn, I didn't mean to diss my costume when I got all, y'know, psycho. I, er…really didn't mean that.'

'Oh, I know you didn't,' Dawn replied nonchalantly. 'I saw you looking at it last night and I know you're just _dying_ to wear it!'

May's mouth dropped open and she attempted to give some sort of protest, but the words refused to come and she was left looking like a startled Seaking in a bandana. Dawn burst out laughing at the sight of her friend's comical expression, and May reluctantly joined in.

'Hey Dawn! May!'

Their laughter stuttering to a halt, the two girls craned around to see who was calling them. It was Misty, running towards them with her red hair streaming out behind her and a happy smile on her face.

'Hey guys! Dawn, sorry I took so long, my last match went on forever – but by the looks of things, I'm not even late,' she said, frowning at the battle slowly coming to a close on Ice Field Three.

'Hey Misty! Don't worry, you're not late at all,' Dawn replied gaily, smiling.

'What?' May questioned, feeling that she was missing something.

'Oh, yeah May - Misty's my next partner,' Dawn said brightly, leaning out and slapping her older friend's outstretched palm with a grin. 'We're gonna rock this joint!'

'Lucky,' May moaned, her expression petulant.

'What's the matter with you?' Misty asked bluntly as she wedged herself on the bench in between the two girls.

'Ugh, I have Gary,' May muttered, averting her gaze from Misty's and wishing she'd said nothing.

Misty's face paled and she paused a moment before replying. 'Well, I guess this is the quarter finals,' she murmured faintly, gazing emptily out over the battle in front of them. 'There's only, what, sixteen people left in the competition? It would be suspicious if he hadn't made it this far.'

Her tone hardened, her eyes flashing angrily. 'I'm just sorry you get foisted with that idiot, May. He's going to be a nightmare to work with. I wish you could whip his butt for me but I guess I'll just have to hope you do that in the next round.'

'Uh, thanks,' May mumbled, looking guilty.

There was a short pause. 'So how did you're battles go, Misty?' Dawn jumped in hastily.

Misty shrugged, still looking distracted. 'Round one was easy. Ethan's gotten a lot better since I last battled him – I told him if he came back to the Gym he'd have a chance at a Cascade badge.' Misty began to smile a little. 'Round Two was a lot more difficult. I got paired with your friend Conway, Dawn, and though he's pretty good, so were our opponents. I was trying to save Gyarados for later round so I used my Corsola instead, and though it's definitely one of my stronger Pokemon, the battle still took forever.'

'And your last battle?' May questioned.

'Just as bad. I got this Trainer kid as my partner and he was okay and all, but both of our opponents were amazing. One of them almost had a fit when we finally won – I think he was counting on going all the way.'

'Wow,' Dawn remarked impressed. 'Well, I'm really glad you made it this far – not that I expected you to get knocked out early or anything,' she finished jokingly.

'So Misty, what do you think of the competition so far?' May asked. 'I know it's not exactly like the usual Intraschool competitions, but apart from the whole pairs idea, it's pretty much the same thing, and you've never done one before.'

Misty shrugged, appearing non-committal. 'It's okay, I guess,' she said. 'It's not that different from Training Practice, to be honest – apart from the partner thing. I was expecting, I don't know, more hype or something.'

'Oh, it's only the heats that are like this,' Dawn put in. 'In fact, the quarter finals are the last round to be held in here. The two semi final matches, the final match and the consolation match will be held in the School Stadium, and that's when it gets a lot more professional.'

'Wait, what's the consolation match?' Misty questioned, looking puzzled.

'The four people that lose in the semis face off, so that they can decide which order everyone fits into the top ten,' May clarified. 'It happens just before the final round, and it's usually just as worth watching as the final itself.'

'Oh, okay,' Misty nodded. 'So guys, how did you're battles go? You haven't said anything about them yet.'

'I've had it pretty easy so far,' Dawn confessed. 'I mean, I faced some pretty tough opponents and all but I always managed to get good partners, so it wasn't anything I couldn't handle.'

'Good deal,' Misty replied happily. 'I'm sure you did great, Dawn. What about you, May?'

'Well, first round was a toughie – I got paired with this absolutely useless Coordinator – do you guys know that Carmen girl? The one with the big googly glasses, who insists on wearing that hideous banana yellow sweatshirt all the time?'

'Oh, I know her!' Misty cried. 'I battled her once in a training match! It took me all of thirty seconds to make her cry!'

'You didn't get stuck with her, did you?' Dawn asked in amazement.

'Yup,' May said grimly. 'We faced off against these two guys, and looking back, I can't believe we won. I think I _might_ have ended up threatening Carmen with bodily harm if she didn't help me – but hey, it worked!' May laughed, joining in with her friends.

'What about your other rounds?' Dawn asked, grinning.

'Not half as bad. I got paired with Zoey the second time around, so we pretty much flattened the opposition. Then in my third round I got a pretty decent partner, whose name I can _not _remember, but it was all good. We won pretty quickly.'

'Great job, May!' Misty enthused. 'I'm so glad we all made it this far.'

'As long as we don't get put up against each other in the next round!' Dawn cut in with an ironic grin.

May laughed. 'Hey, speaking of opponents – I wonder who all is in the quarter finals apart from us?'

'Well, I know Drew is,' Dawn informed the others importantly. 'I saw him earlier on the way to one of the Grass fields. He's probably winning his battle as we speak.'

May had gone very red. '_What_?' she shrieked. 'You knew Drew got through and you didn't _tell_ me?'

'I didn't think it was a big deal!' Dawn defended herself hastily, quickly shuffling further away from her slighted friend. 'I mean, he's _such_ a good Coordinator, I thought you were sure he'd get through!'

'Yes, well, there is that,' May huffed, crossing her arms sulkily.

'And I was sort of caught up in your drama, thank you very much!'

'Okay, I get it!' May scowled.

Dawn nodded smugly, before pausing. 'Wait a second…' she mused, losing interest in May's inner turmoil. 'I'm pretty sure I saw Ash heading that way as well. It didn't even occur to me earlier, but now that I think about it…' She trailed off, and the three girls stared at each other.

'What if they're against each other?' she finished in a hushed tone.

'Or they could be partners!' May volunteered quickly, glancing at Misty.

'Yeah!' the redhead joined in. 'They're probably kicking some poor, helpless kids' butts right now!'

There was an awkward silence, before Misty spoke. 'Speaking of which, I know someone else who is through – Paul.'

'_What_?' Dawn squeaked, echoing May's indignant tone and outraged expression perfectly. 'You knew Paul got through and you didn't _tell_ me?'

Misty and May turned to look at each other, the briefly awkward moment shattering in an instant. The two girls burst out laughing.

'What?' Dawn demanded. 'What did I – ohhhh. Sorry May,' she laughed in embarrassment as the realization dawned on her, sweatdropping uneasily. 'I guess that's a perfect example of the Houndoom calling the Murkrow black, huh?'

May and Misty exchanged an amused glance. 'Oh Dawn, you're so funny when you're proven wrong,' May giggled.

Dawn scowled. 'Alright, alright! Just tell me about Paul, will you Misty? _Please_?'

Misty smirked. 'Well, you'll never guess who his partner is.'

Dawn's eyes widened. 'Who?' she demanded immediately.

'See for yourself!' Misty grinned. 'He's battling on one of the Water Fields this round. I saw them there earlier.'

Dawn let out a shriek and ignoring the curious eyes all around her, she leapt to her feet and scrambled onto the bench, eagerly scanning the vicinity. She caught sight of Paul easily enough – the purple hair was unmistakable, even at this distance – but it took her a few seconds to figure out who his partner was. That long chestnut hair looked awfully familiar…

'_Daisy???_' Dawn screeched, baring her teeth menacingly. 'Oooh, that little witch better keep her hands to herself or I'm going to rip her perfectly prim nails clean off her fingers!'

'Whoa, Dawn,' Misty chastised as May eagerly scaled the bench, her interest piqued by this excellent gossip.

'Unbelievable!' she marveled, watching the two figures – far away as they were, she could still see Paul eyeing the pouting girl with distinct wariness. 'I can't believe this! Paul'll put Daisy in her place, that's for sure!'

'But I don't want him to put her in her place!' Dawn whined. 'I want him to stay away from her!'

'Oh, quit your whining, drama queen,' May replied airily, jumping down from the bench. 'Anyway ladies, I gotta run. My battle was due to start fifteen minutes ago and with a bit of luck, I've kept Gary waiting. Wouldn't want to do anything to _convenience_ him, after all!'

Misty laughed as she got to her feet, but Dawn was still muttering what sounded suspiciously like death threats as she climbed down. The battle on Ice Field Three was finally over and it was time for Misty and Dawn's match to begin.

May wished both girls good luck before disappearing, laughing at Misty's request that she quietly kill Gary without anyone noticing. The two friends made their way over to the field, crunching through the fake snow and rapidly discussing strategy as they went. Dawn was in the middle of listing all the Pokémon she had on hand when she cut herself off, staring at the boy who had just appeared out from behind a large snowman.

'_Uh, _oh,' she muttered, her face going pink.

'What?' Misty asked, following Dawn's gaze and staring at the young man, taking in a mop of puffy chestnut hair and a green sweater.

'Um…I didn't get around to telling you what happened this morning before school, but…'

When Dawn was finished, Misty burst out laughing.

*****

The stadium was, without a doubt, the crowning jewel of the extensive Pokémon High campus. When the Pokémon League had first finalized the blueprints of the school that was their pet project, many of the high profile businessmen, moneyed families and powerful corporations who had sponsored the building of the school fought against the construction of such a fabulously opulent structure, protesting that it was entirely unnecessary for the school to have its own stadium in the first place, never mind one so extravagant. However_**,**_ the Pokémon League, who ultimately had the final say, insisted that the plans go ahead as first proposed, citing the excuse that the stadium could also be used for official Pokémon League tournaments and contests as well as school functions. And though such an event had yet to take place in the infamous building, and probably never would, all doubts over the validity of the edifice had long been silenced.

Ash loved the Pokémon High stadium. Of all the places in the school, it reminded him most of his days on the road – long days of seemingly endless travel, pursuing the next Gym, the next badge, and his next shot at glory. The vast, echoing structure with its shining black walls, ceiling open to the sky mottled with pale clouds and dizzying rows of seats was like a wistful memory of the days he had stood in similar stadiums crowded with screaming people, fighting for his last and greatest dream.

Every spectator was on their feet, and though there were many empty seats in the building too big for its campus, they still made a respectable din as he walked out of the darkened tunnel towards the battlefield, its lines painted out in gleaming white. Normally he'd be lapping up the applause, waving up to the crowds and thanking his lucky stars he'd been blessed with the necessary gifts to bring himself closer to his ultimate goal.

Today, however, there was no hint of a smile on his stoic face, no flutter of happiness or pride in his chest. Every emotion he possessed was bent on hating the young man that walked beside him.

'Now remember, Ashy – your Pokémon fight the other team's Pokémon, not mine, got it?'

Ash ground his teeth together, attempting to rearrange his features into a neutral expression for the benefit of the hundreds of people watching them.

'Gary, I _swear - '_

'Don't swear, Ashy-boy,' Gary corrected with mock severity, addressing his partner like he would a five year old. 'You're mother wouldn't like it.'

Ash suppressed a groan. 'Shut _up _you asshole,' he hissed, marching away from his irksome companion. The vast expanse of the floor of the stadium had been divided up into two battle fields, marked with glowing white lines, as both semi final matches were due to take place at the same time. Ash made for the one closest to him, hoping Gary would take the hint to shut up.

Wishful thinking.

'So rude,' Gary tutted patronizingly, waving smarmily up at the crowd of their peers as he caught up with Ash. 'You really should be nicer, since I'm the one who's going to win this battle for us.'

Ash's head snapped sideways and he glared icily at his rival-cum-partner. 'Shut up, Gary,' he snapped vehemently. 'Just shut up. Just because we're going to be standing beside each other for the next half hour does _not _mean you're going to spend it mocking me, you hear? We are going to win this battle, and then we're going to ignore each other. Understand?'

Gary looked momentarily taken aback, his eyebrows raising infinitesimally, before the familiar smirk crept back onto his face. 'No need to get so moody, Ashy-boy,' he snickered. 'What's wrong? You got girl problems or something?'

Ash let out a snarl, his face burning with shame, and was just about to take a swing at his antagonizing enemy when he caught sight of his two opponents exiting from the shady tunnel perpendicular to the one he and Gary had used.

Ash let out a low groan, cursing the terrible bad luck that seemed to run rampant through every facet of his life lately. Drew waved languidly up at the crowds, seemingly perfectly at ease with the spotlight, and beside him walked Dawn, smiling rather bashfully up at the crowds and clutching Piplup to her chest.

Ash could hardly believe it. Not only was he pitted against two of his best friends, but since Drew and Dawn had been lucky enough to partner each other back in the practice battle, they held an automatic advantage over him and Gary, already knowing the other's battle style in a way that could only be learned from battling together. Ash knew that this would prove especially important, given how impossible it would be for him and Gary to work together as a team.

Ash turned away from his friends, exasperated by this unnerving series of events, and looked across to the other battlefield far away across the stadium floor. Ash was less than thrilled to see his dearest Daisy, flicking her hair and smiling coyly up at the crowds like a movie star at a red carpet premiere. He knew it was uncharitable to think so, but he was rather disappointed that she had made it this far. He felt mean admitting it even to himself, but he would have quite enjoyed seeing his ickle Daisykins taken down a few notches. After all, she did think rather too much of herself.

Ash's eyes wandered languidly to the person beside Daisy, who made no move to bask in the glow of the cheering crowds. His heart jolted in his chest when he realized who it was.

For beside Daisy, with her amber hair pulled back into a ponytail and a face like thunder, was –

Ash looked quickly away. He didn't need to think of her just now.

*****

Misty glared morosely up at the quieting crowds, watching as the students began to take their seats in anticipation of the two battles. She could hardly believe it – her first ever battle in the fabled Pokémon High stadium and who did she have as a partner? Daisy freaking Oak; the keeper of Ash's heart, drama queen extraordinaire, sister to the odious Gary Oak and basically all around bane of her life. A match made in heaven they most certainly were not – since Misty could hardly bear to even be in the same room as Daisy, she had no idea how they were going to cooperate as a team.

Misty glanced over her shoulder.

Even worse than teaming up with Ash's new girlfriend were Misty's opponents. She grimaced across the field towards May, who stood with almost unbearable awkwardness next to Paul. The taller teen made no attempt to hold a conversation with his partner, nor to even acknowledge her, staring off into the distance with his ever present cool detachment. Misty couldn't understand it. Though not exactly best friends, she'd always been under the impression that May and Paul were on basically friendly terms, and had often witnessed them exchange a few friendly words – or perhaps in Paul's case, a brief head nod. Misty surmised that something must have gone down between May and Drew or Dawn and Paul that she didn't know about to cause the wider-than-polite distance between the two teenagers.

There was another disadvantage to battling May, however. Since the two girls had paired up for the practice battle, they each held an innate knowledge of the other's technique that could only be acquired from battling together. Misty knew that she'd have to pull out all the stops if she was going to get past May's defenses.

'Don't scowl like that, _Missy_, you look even less attractive when you screw your face up like a Mankey.'

Misty turned to glare at her so-called partner. 'I'll screw _your_ face up if you don't shut it!' she snarled.

Daisy turned to look at her, raising a perfectly arched eyebrow. 'You know, Ash might get quite cross with you if you did that. After all, he likes me just the way I am.'

Misty felt like she'd swallowed a bucket of ice. Stemming the stream of insults itching to burst out of her and slap Daisy in the face, she gritted her teeth and turned back to face May and Paul, jealousy burning in her throat like fire. But Daisy wasn't finished.

'Dear, dear – so violent, aren't we? I can't imagine _what_ Gary sees in you.'

'Nothing more than what you see in Ash,' Misty spat back acidly.

Daisy chuckled, the patronizingly pious expression vanishing in favor of her usual mocking smile. 'Jealous, much?' she asked sarcastically, her eyes daring Misty to refute it.

Misty bit down on her tongue so hard she could taste the metallic tang of blood. She'd given Gary her word that she wouldn't mention their deal to anyone, and she could only assume that contract included his sister. Though she suspected that Daisy knew every in and out of Gary's odious plan, Misty wasn't about to risk anything.

Once more Misty forced herself to turn away, staring blankly up at the now-seated crowds. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Daisy's triumphant smirk, but she refused to acknowledge it, and before the brunette could speak, a booming voice rang out in the echoing room.

'Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the semi-finals of Pokémon High's first annual Doubleteam League!'

The cheers rose anew as the students recognized their Headmaster's voice, every face turning towards the glass-fronted press box suspended from the roof of the stadium.

'Please give it up for your eight finalists!'

Misty couldn't resist a smile as the spectators burst into applause, grins from all over the room flashing in her direction. Despite her Gym Leader status, she hadn't competed in many major Pokémon competitions, and she was beginning to understand why Ash loved it so much.

'Good luck to all of you! Now, let the battles commence!'

Professor Oak's voice trailed off and Misty turned, watching as the referee raised his flag like a sword. She took a deep breath, steeling herself, feeling her will to win set like concrete. It didn't matter who she was stuck with as a partner. She was going to win this, no matter what.

The referee's flag began its descent and Misty felt time slow, her senses tingling with anticipation. She could see every flutter of resistance the fabric made against the pressure of the downward motion, every tightening of the unknown man's fingers around the flag's pole, every face in the crowd, every color, every shape. The roar of the crowd melded into the background, muffled by the blood pumping in her head and the rush of adrenaline in her veins, and Misty could feel her senses heighten with the approach of conflict. She was aware of every move her body made, of the smell of the dusty battle floor and of the smooth, coolly curved metal of the Pokéball in her hand.

The flag let out a sharp crack as it reached the bottom of its trajectory, the referee crying for the battle to begin.

Misty's head snapped forwards and doing her best to avoid looking at May and Paul, she threw her Pokéball out onto the field.

'Caserin, go!' she shouted. The pink Water Type appeared on the field in front of her, letting out a shrill battle cry.

Misty was just smiling with pride at her Pokémon when her happy moment was interrupted by a contemptuous snort. 'Pathetic.'

Misty stiffened, wheeling around to face her obnoxious cohort. '_What did you say?' _she demanded, glaring dangerously at Daisy.

Daisy ignored her entirely. She simply smiled at the Pokéball clasped elegantly in her fingers and then threw it out onto the dusty battlefield.

'Electivire, go!'

Misty gaped momentarily at the huge Electric Type that loomed far over her little Ludvisc. How was it possible that both Gary and May possessed such a powerful Electric Type? She narrowed her eyes at the black and yellow Pokémon, critically observing the lines where the two colors met on its vast hide, and she gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to slap her snotty faced partner as she identified the Pokémon in front of her. She hadn't known that siblings were allowed to share Pokémon in such important matches – but then again, these were the Oak siblings. Rules just didn't seem to apply to them.

Misty sighed in exasperation, rolling her eyes. Great, she thought sardonically. Just great. A Water Type and an Electric Type, on the same team. What else can go wrong?

*****

Owari! Will Ash slap Gary in front of the whole school? Will Misty's Ludvisc get eaten by Daisy's Electivire? And most importantly…who will win the battles? Find out very soon!

Okay, so before I sign off, I want to conduct a little reader survey, mainly for my own reassurance. I was watching a Pokeshipping video the other night on Youtube and I just got to thinking about ships and stuff. I mean, most of you must be Pokeshippers and/or Contestshippers and/or Ikarishippers if you're reading this story. But here's the question – do you honestly believe that these ships will actually happen in the anime? I mean, I'm obviously a huge Pokeshipper and I will definitely have a complete fit if either Ash or Misty end up with someone else. I also like Contestshipping, mainly cause I love Drew, and as for Dawn…well, I don't really have a preference, to be honest, even though I chose Paul for this story. But that's just what I _want _to happen. What about in the anime, for real, based on concrete proof? Do I really believe we'll get the Ketchum/Waterflower wedding at the end of the last season?

Well, to be honest, I am pretty sure that May and Drew are going to end up together, simply because there's so many hints and stuff. But I still can't help worrying that they're going to pair Misty and Tracey (ew) and Ash and Dawn (I know, DOUBLE horror of all horrors) or even worse…Ash and May (HATE ADVANCESHIPPING WORST SHIP EVER!) *quietly freaks out*

So that is what I would like to know from you all. Who do you think are going to end up together – for real? And I don't mean your favorite ships – I mean the ones that are most likely to happen, based on the evidence in the anime. If you're reviewing, let me know, and state your evidence to back up your claim, and I'll post the results at the end of the next chapter. Because I sort of need a bit of assurance here, people, to be honest. This girl's on the urge of flying to Japan and staging a protest outside the Pokémon studios.

There, rant over :)

**Review Replies:**

It is late and I am very tired, but just know that I love each and every one of you for your all around wonderfulness. I got 21 reviews for the last chapter and I think that's a record, and I appreciate every one of them. I just want you to know that I appreciate all your support, and I carefully consider all of your suggestions and feedback – that's what makes me a better writer. I love you all, you are awesome :)

Song inspiration: Whataya Want From Me by Adam Lambert


	20. We're All In This Together

Hello lovely readers! I have returned and I bring with me the latest AFO installment. I initially hoped to get this posted faster, since I cut almost all of this from the end of the last chapter, but it actually required a lot of editing before it could stand alone as a chapter. Still, I am really pleased with how this came out, so I hope you enjoy it! Oh, and play close attention to my Author's Note at the end, if you would :)

The vast majority of people would say that **Texas Longhorn **deserved the Beta of the Year award for having this back to me within hours of my forwarding it to him. Unfortunately for him, I am not among them, because I hate him too much for that.

Chapter Twenty: We're All In This Together

The roar of the crowd intensified like a rush of raging water as the referee stepped back, indicating that it was time for the matches to begin. That should have been Ash's signal to begin his preparations for battle; conferring with his partner, finalizing a strategy, selecting his first Pokémon. But Ash only vaguely registered the referee's presence at all, not even noticing as his opponents, Drew and Dawn, began scrambling for Pokéballs, hastily deciding which of their monsters would work best together. He was too busy staring at the other battlefield.

Ash just couldn't help it. When he'd first realized exactly who was battling on the other field he'd had stern words with himself, schooling his senses to turn away from her and focus on the more imminent problem of his own rapidly approaching battle. But without conscious command, his eyes had somehow glued themselves to her graceful form, far away though she might be. It seemed that no matter what he did, he couldn't tear his focus away from her.

It was typical, really; Ash was on the cusp of one of the most important battles of his life, and all he could do was stare at Misty.

He could hardly understand it. He was no stranger to gawking at his ex-best friend, after all, and it was such a relief to just _look_ at her after spending the last few days pretending she didn't exist. But that was not all. He felt, at that moment – if it were even possible – a more burning interest in Misty's battle than in his own. And even as he gazed at her, watching as she selected her first Pokéball, he still could not define his feelings towards her. He wasn't sure if he'd rather see her miraculously triumph over May and Paul and make it to the finals, or suffer a humiliating defeat under the watchful eyes of the whole school.

'Dodrio, go!'

Ash was jolted suddenly back to earth, his mental wanderings interrupted for good as he turned to glare at his own partner, who did not flinch under his murderous gaze. There was, of course, nothing wrong with Gary's choice – but the slight problem of Gary's existence was enough to annoy Ash by that point.

Irritated, Ash turned to focus on the battlefield, noting for the first time that Drew and Dawn had already chosen their Pokémon and that he was holding up the entire battle. The adrenaline began to pulse through Ash's veins as he quickly weighed the situation, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He could feel the avalanche of worries and doubts melting from his mind as his instincts kicked in and for a brief moment, he forgot about the girl battling her heart out on the other field. He even forgot about the odious personage who stood beside him. There was nothing but the battle and the thrill of expectation that jolted through him as he quickly weighed the advantages and disadvantages of each member of his team. Ash loved this moment, this brief suspension of uncertainty and anticipation, more than any other moment of the battle, and he was going to make the most of it.

Ash selected a Pokéball and threw it forward, confident as always in his choice as a grin spread over his face.

'Sceptile, go!' he shouted, a flicker of pride radiating through his chest at the sight of his fully evolved Treecko.

'Sceptile, Leaf Blade on Piplup!' he called immediately.

Sceptile sprang eagerly forwards into the familiar attack, the long leaves on its forearms glowing with white energy – but it was not alone.

'Dodrio, use Quick Attack on Piplup!'

For a moment, Ash was so taken aback that he could just watch as both Sceptile and Dodrio launched themselves upon the comparatively tiny Water Pokémon. Piplup cried out as both powerful attacks struck home, unable to defend itself, and the pathetic wailing jolted Ash into evasive action. He had no thought of dealing with Gary; his first response was to protect his friend's Pokémon.

'Sceptile, switch your Leaf Blade to Absol!'

Ash watched in relief as Sceptile immediately altered the course of its attack, turning on Drew's Dark Pokémon, who had been attempting a Slash attack on both Sceptile and Dodrio as they encroached upon Dawn's battling partner. After noticing that Scetile had turned its attention elsewhere, Piplup seemed to rally its spirits and rebuffed Dodrio with a well placed Peck attack. Ash breathed a sigh of relief as the battle returned to level ground, butto his surprise, he was not out of the woods yet.

'Dodrio, Quick Attack on Absol!'

The raven-haired boy's face was the picture of amazement as he suddenly found himself in the same situation he had only just righted. Both Sceptile and Dodrio mercilessly bore down upon Drew's Pokémon and Absol quickly went down under the double attack, unable to repel the sudden onslaught of two Pokémon at once. But that was not the only thing Ash had to worry about. He winced as both Sceptile and Dodrio suffered unnecessarily as Piplup blasted them both from behind with a Bubblebeam, the little penguin Pokémon's attempt to distract the two larger Pokémon from mauling its teammate.

'That's enough, Sceptile!' Ash called loudly, watching as his Pokémon fell back in confusion and sighing in relief as Absol used an effective Water Pulse on Dodrio. He turned to Gary, a mixture of disbelief and fury on his face.

'Stop it!' Ash hissed angrily.

'Stop what?' Gary asked innocently, turning to Ash with wide eyes.

'You know what!' Ash shouted, his face going red.

Gary cocked his head to the side, apparently thinking deeply. 'Uhh, know, I don't,' he replied, his tone implying that Ash had the mental capacity of a two year old. 'You must be imagining things again. You know, you ought to get that head of yours checked out because you are becoming seriously delusional.'

Ash let out a snarl, clenching his hands into fists. 'If you not careful they're going to make us forfeit the match for unsportsmanlike conduct, you idiot!' he yelled.

'Chill, Ashy-boy – they wouldn't do that to us,' Gary replied languidly.

'Yes they would!' Ash insisted furiously. 'And then I'll have lost this because of you!'

'Let me clarify,' Gary smirked. 'They wouldn't do that to _me_ – y'know, the Headmaster's grandson. Nobody cares about you.'

Ash growled. Trust Gary to rely on his family connections at a time like this. 'Listen Gary, I don't care if you're the grandson of the Queen of England, you are going to stop that right now!'

Gary cackled derisively. 'Who are you, my mother?' he snickered. 'Whatcha gonna do about it, lil Ashy? Make me? Tell a teacher on me? Threaten me with your itty bitty Poképals until I do what you tell me?'

Ash swore rudely, turning back to the match as Dawn called on Piplup to make a move on Sceptile. This was going to be a long battle.

*****

'Caserin, return!' Misty cried, withdrawing her out-cold Pokémon in a beam of red light and replacing its Pokéball back on her belt.

'Told you,' Daisy intoned smugly, without taking her eyes from the Electivire in front of her.

Misty stuck her nose in the air and refused to reply, resisting the urge to point out that while Caserin had taken down May's Skitty single handedly – no mean feat since the little Kitten Pokémon packed a powerful punch with its Blizzard attack – Daisy had yet to take out Paul's Ursaring with her Electivire. Indeed, that was what annoyed Misty the most – if Daisy had pulled her weight in the match so far, she could have used Electivire to stop Ursaring from knocking Caserin out with a Scratch attack and defeated the bear Pokémon out at the same time.

Misty sighed as she appraised the battlefield in front of her, trying to kickstart her distracted brain into choosing her next Pokémon. She wasn't sure what Daisy was playing at, but her partner's attitude and actions were beginning to unnerve her. During the entire course of the first round, Daisy's Electivire hadn't gone near May's Skitty, concentrating solely upon Ursaring, even when it was possible that she could have helped Caserin defeat the little pink Pokémon sooner. It didn't seem to make sense. Misty was sure Daisy wanted to win just as badly as she did – so why did the ex-Coordinator continue to leave her own partner's Pokémon totally unsupported?

Misty shook her head sharply, concentrating on the battlefield. May's Glaceon was obviously still fresh, having only been on the battlefield for a few minutes, but Ursaring definitely looked like it was tiring, as did Electivire. Misty paused.

'Some time this year, _Missy_,' Daisy put in snidely as Misty's fingers hovered indecisively over the Pokéballs on her belt.

'Hold your Ponytas, _Dolly,' _Misty shot back, seizing a Pokéball and throwing it in front of her. The tool popped open with a flash of white, and a bestial roar echoed through the stadium.

Misty smirked. Let Daisy make fun of _this_ Pokémon.

'Gyarados, Dragon Rage on Glaceon!'

*****

'Mamoswine, use Blizzard on both Kingler and Sceptile!'

'Roserade, combine your Magical Leaf with that Blizzard and aim it at both of them!'

Roserade's burst of pale green leaves melded perfectly with Mamoswine's flurry of powerful snowflakes, and Ash groaned inwardly as his first Pokémon succumbed to the force of the dual attack. Gary's Kingler, fresh from its Pokéball, managed to protect itself by spraying water at the combined attack, and as it was strong against Ice attacks, the Blizzard would not have done much to harm it.

Ash recalled his Sceptile, who was clearly out of the battle, and tucked the Pokéball away. He was very pleased with how his Pokémon had performed – it had outlasted Gary's Dodrio, at least, and Ash reckoned that was the only reason Gary had let Sceptile's defeat go uncommented upon.

The battle was not going well. It was true that Ash and Gary were winning, but only just, for Gary refused to stop shadowing Ash's every move. Ash couldn't figure out his rival's angle, but no matter what he said or did, it seemed to have absolutely no effect on Gary whatsoever. Ash wasn't sure how much longer his temper could hold out. Drew and Dawn had cottoned on to Gary's strategy and were using it to their advantage, seamlessly combining their Pokémon's moves in a way that proved just how skilled they were as Coordinators. If Gary wasn't careful, he was going to lose this match for both of them.

Ash sighed resentfully, surveying the three Pokémon on the field. He hesitated for a moment before choosing a Pokéball and throwing it out onto the field in front of him.

'Snorlax, go!' he shouted.

'A Snorlax?' Gary remarked disdainfully. Ash sighed – now that he and Gary were back on even footing, he should have expected his stupid partner to pick up the snide running commentary of his every move.

'Yeah, so?' Ash shot back defensively. He knew the Normal Type was perhaps an unorthodox choice, and one that he'd placed in his team on a whim, but he was determined to stick to his guns.

'You don't have anything better with you? This is sort of an important match, you know.'

'Will you shut up?' Ash demanded. 'Snorlax beat out a couple of your Pokémon in the Silver Conference, in case you'd forgotten, so don't talk to me about important matches!'

Gary's eye twitched at the mention of the Silver Conference but his snide expression remained. 'Well stupid, you might want to wake it up, cause it's not much good to us like this,' he snapped, indicating the gigantic slumbering form sprawled on the battlefield.

'I know that,' Ash said haughtily, sticking his nose in the air and turning away from his partner. 'Snorlax!' he shouted loudly. 'Time to battle!'

There was no response. Ash's Sleeping Pokémon was living up to its name perfectly, stretched out on the battlefield and blissfully lost to the world, the deep snores echoing through the stadium.

Ash cleared his throat, trying to sound more forceful. 'Snorlax, wake up!' he trumpeted in a commanding voice.

Snorlax rolled smoothly over onto its side, turning away from Ash, and its sides continued to rise and fall in a steady, soothing motion.

'Snorlax!' Ash whined, sweatdropping nervously as his face began to redden. Snorlax had always had a tendency to snooze through life's most important moments, and he prayed to Arceus that this was not one of them. On the other side of the field, Ash saw Drew and Dawn exchange nonplussed glances; both were at liberty to attack now that Ash had replaced his fallen Sceptile, but neither seemed keen to make the first move.

'Pathetic,' Gary sniggered, as he flicked his hair back and assumed a superior expression. 'I guess it's up to _me _to win this match, now that you lumbered us with that useless hunk of fat.'

Ash felt panic begin to grip his insides; if Gary won this match for them, he'd never hear the end of it. But at this rate, Snorlax was going to sleep through the rest of the match…it was time for desperate measures.

'Snorlax!' Ash hollered as loud as he possibly could. 'Try a Body Slam on Roserade!'

Snorlax just snored louder.

Gary began to chuckle again, shaking his head in amused disbelief and clearly enjoying Ash's struggle. 'Looks like this one's up to me,' he smirked. 'Kingler, Bubblebeam on Mamoswine!'

Ash let out a furious snarl. He'd suffered Gary's intolerable attitude for the entire first round, and there was no way he was going to give up and let his selfish, good for nothing partner get all the glory for winning – not now.

'SNORLAX DINNER TIME!!!' Ash bellowed.

The effect was instantaneous. The huge Pokémon jerked to life, hauling itself up into a sitting position and sleepily rubbing its eyes. Turning around, it roared with pleasure at the sight of its Trainer.

'Hey buddy!' Ash said, trying very hard not give Gary his special 'I-told-you-so' look, developed specially to get back at those who insisted upon having doubts about his training abilities. 'You up for a little battling? I'll even get Nurse Joy to give you some grapefruit when were done!'

The offer was more than enough to get such a greedy Pokémon on board. Staggering to its feet, Snorlax braced itself for battle.

Ash grinned happily. 'Snorlax, Body Slam on Roserade!' he repeated.

'Kingler, switch your Bubblebeam to Roserade!'

Ash's smile disappeared.

*****

'Gyarados, finish it off with a Hyperbeam!'

The blue and yellow serpentine monster let out a primal roar, a shimmering sphere of light gathering between its bared fangs. The surge blasted across the field towards Glaceon, enveloping the Fresh Snow Pokémon in a net of energy. When the blistering flash died away, it was clear that Glaceon's battle was over.

Misty beamed with pride as her Pokémon arched its neck, hissing with glee as May recalled her defeated Pokémon. On the other half of the field, the fight between Paul's Aggron and Daisy's Ninetales still raged, despite the common courtesy in pairs battles of stopping skirmishes until the Trainer or Coordinator with a fallen Pokémon has a chance to pick a new battling partner. But then, Misty mused wryly, this battle wasn't really like other pairs battles she'd taken part in. It might as well have been two separate battles – Misty against May, Daisy against Paul, and it was clear that Paul knew that if he ordered his Pokémon to cease in its attacks, Daisy would exploit the lull to her advantage.

Misty watched as the Fire Pokémon and the half Steel Type grappled furiously in the heat of battle, neither Trainers letting up for a second. Aggron's steel plating gleamed like a knight's armor as it charged towards its opponent in a Tackle attack, but Ninetales was too swift for it. The fox-like Pokémon sprang out of the path of the attack, its creamy white fur gleamed like burnished gold under the bright sunshine streaming in through the open ceiling and flashing like fire as it carefully flicked each of its long, orange tipped tails out of harm's way.

'Ninetales, Ember!' Daisy called.

Ninetales landed gracefully from its leap and turned to face its opponent, releasing a stream of burning flecks towards Aggron. The half Rock Type was still steadying itself from the failed Tackle attack, and was unable to avoid the fiery onslaught.

'Now, Ninetales, finish it with a Flamethrower!' Daisy shouted triumphantly. It was clear from her expression that she thought the round was over. But Paul was not giving up that easily.

'Aggron, try a Metal Blast!' he called urgently.

Gaining focus at the sound of its Trainer's command, the lumbering Iron Armor Pokémon righted itself and with a huge effort, conjured up a glistening circle between its paws. Ninetales' white hot Flamethrower attack struck the target dead on and with a grunt of exertation, Aggron launched the circle towards its foe. Caught off guard by the sudden return of its attack, the sphere engulfed the Fire Pokémon entirely, knocking it backwards.

'Ninetales!' Daisy cried, her face paling.

Misty had been so absorbed in the battle that she had almost forgotten that she was a part of it. It suddenly occurred to her that her opponent's Pokémon stood entirely vulnerable, and it was up to her to take it down.

'Gyarados, Hydro Pump on Aggron, quick!'

After that, several things happened all at once. Gyarados, idle for several seconds, shook itself to life and prepared to unleash the jet of water that would surely be the end of Aggron, who was especially weak to Water Attacks. Daisy recalled her fallen Ninetales and seized her third Pokéball, lobbing it out onto the battle surface as quickly as she possibly could. And on the other side of the field, May, who had been staring vacantly at the skirmish between Ninetales and Aggron for several minutes, burst into a frenzy of motion, throwing the Pokéball that already lay in her hands out onto the field.

'Fearow, go!'

'Venusaur, go!'

Just as the two Pokémon appeared on opposite sides of the field, Misty's Gyarados spat out a huge torrent of water, blasting Aggron backwards and dumping it at the feet of its Trainer. But Misty had underestimated Paul's half Steel Type. Though dazed from the sudden drenching, it shook off the loose droplets clinging to its steely armor and clambered to its feet.

'Venusaur, Razor Leaf on Gyarados!'

Misty quickly surveyed the battlefield, her eyes snapping to the skies where Fearow hovered, watching the action below. Studying the Flying Type and recalling the many times she'd watched Ash use a similar Pokémon, Misty got a burst of inspiration.

'Dodge it, Gyarados,' she called, turning quickly to her partner. 'Daisy, get Fearow to use a Gust attack to blow that Razor Leaf back in its face!' she hissed. May's Venosaur moved very quickly for a Pokémon its size and out of the water, Gyarados moved more sluggishly that usual. One Razor Leaf wouldn't cause that much damage but avoiding a barrage of fast paced attacks was going to be nearly impossible for the half-Water Type. Misty knew that if she could get Daisy to concentrate on May's Pokémon, she could take out Paul's tired half Rock one within minutes. That must have been Daisy's strategy, Misty reasoned, cause she'd never intentionally send a Fearow against an Aggron.

Daisy turned to look at her partner, and snorted condescendingly. 'Fight your own battles, Little Miss Gym Leader,' she said disdainfully, a faint smirk on her face as she turned back to the battle.

'What?' Misty demanded indignantly, her temper flaring. 'We're in this battle together, woman!'

Daisy ignored her. 'Fearow, Drill Peck on Aggron!' she called in a clear voice.

Misty barely even noticed as her prize Pokémon roared with rage, besieged with a flurry of green bullets. 'Daisy, what are you doing?' she shouted. 'Aggron's resistant to Flying _and_ Normal Types! You're going to lose this battle for us! For goodness sake, take Venusaur and I'll take Aggron!'

Daisy gave a theatrical start, and turned to her partner with wide, innocent eyes. 'Oh I'm sorry, Misty, did you say something?' she cooed in a honeyed voice.

Misty let out a howl of frustration. 'You take out Venusaur and I'll take out Aggron!' she repeated in a thunderous voice.

'Oh it's too late for that,' Daisy smiled, indicating the battle raging in front of them. Fearow's Drill Peck had just struck and though Aggron faltered momentarily under the force of the assault, Misty could already see it quickly shaking off the after effects and square up for another attack.

'But you know, Misty, if you'd been smart enough to worry about your own Pokémon instead of mine, you would be about to lose your precious Gyarados to a Tackle Attack.'

Misty's eyes snapped to Gyarados, her rage at Daisy's obnoxious stupidity momentarily tempered as she cursed the fury that had distracted her from her own responsibilities to her Pokémon. Venusaur was charging towards Gyarados – Misty hadn't even heard May give the command. Gyarados, unnerved by the lack of input from its Trainer, hovered awkwardly in front of the stampeding half Poison type, as if it were unsure of what to do next.

'Gyarados, baby, dodge that attack!' Misty screeched.

*****

'Snorlax, use Ice Punch on Roserade, now!'

'Kingler, Metal Claw on Roserade!'

'Roserade, try Bullet Seed – Roserade!'

'Quick Mamoswine, hit Snorlax and Kingler with a Powder Snow, and be careful not to hit Roserade!'

'Snorlax, switch to using Tackle on Mamoswine now!'

'Oh wait, Kingler – use a Crabhammer on Mamoswine!

'Get out of the way, Mamoswine – oh no!'

Ash snarled angrily as he took in Dawn's heartbroken expression, her huge Pokémon groaning as it was thrown backwards under the force of Kingler's powerful attack. His heart constricted painfully in his chest as the dust of the battlefield cleared, revealing Mamoswine's bulk sprawled awkwardly on the floor.

Ash turned to his partner cum worst enemy with a thunderous expression.

'Okay, that is _enough_!' he hollered. 'I've put up with this for two rounds already and I don't care if we lose this match or not, but I will not let you do that to any more of my friends' Pokémon! It's not fair and you know it! One of them could get seriously hurt!'

Gary snorted. 'Oh dear,' he deadpanned, rolling his eyes. 'Looks like I'm going to hell. Oh well.'

Ash stamped his foot, not caring that he probably looked like a sulky toddler in front of hundreds of people. 'Are you really so desperate to upstage me that you'll risk the well-being of a Pokémon?' he demanded recklessly.

Gary's face darkened in an instant. The sneering, self-satisfied expression vanished and his mouth set into a hard line. His eyes blazed like cold fire as his gaze burned into Ash's eyes. Ash caught his breath; it felt like a very long time since he'd seen that expression. Ever since beating him and snagging Misty, Gary had been treating Ash with nothing but mocking contempt. It was unnerving to see his rival look so fierce all of a sudden.

'Who says I'm desperate to upstage you, Ashy-boy?' he said softly, ignoring the familiar popping sound as Dawn released her third Pokémon – Pachirisu.

Ash, still reeling from the abrupt change in his partner's countenance, gave himself a little shake and rallied his spirits, determined not to be intimidated. 'Oh come on, Gary,' he said impatiently, scowling. 'Ever since the start of the match you've been shadowing my every move!'

'You're questioning my battle strategy? We're winning, in case you're too stupid to notice.'

'I'm not questioning your strategy, crap though it is – I'm questioning your motives!'

'My motive is to win, Ashy-boy. You might be satisfied with failure, but that's because you're a loser. And I'm sorry if my excellence irritates you, but that's your problem.'

'I _know_ you're not just doing this to annoy me, Gary – '

'Then what am I doing, you imbecile?'

'You're trying to use this battle to prove to everyone that you're better than me, even though we're on the same team!' Ash burst out, his temper bubbling over. 'You want everyone to think you can win this without me!'

For the briefest instant, Gary's expression flickered oddly, as if he was genuinely surprised that Ash had discerned his real motives so easily. And then all that was venomous and vulnerable in his face evaporated like dew, and Ash knew in an instant that he'd said the wrong thing. Gary's bold, smirking mask reappeared as quickly as it had disappeared, and he stared gloatingly down at Ash, folding his arms superiorly.

'Oh, but I _am _better than you, Ashy-boy, and by the end of today, everyone will know it.'

*****

'Gyarados, return!' Misty called, endeavoring to keep her voice steady. It was rare that her most powerful Pokémon lost a battle, but for this failure, Misty blamed Daisy entirely. Gyarados, already tired from a full battle with Glaceon, should never have gone into the type disadvantage battle against Venusaur – not when its other opponent was a freaking half _Rock _Type.

The whole thing was ridiculous. If Daisy hadn't been so pig-headed for absolutely _no_ reason, Paul's Aggron would be dead and buried and May would be out of a job. Venom and fury raged inside Misty as she remembered her partner's rude dismissal of what was right and sensible, but what Misty could not figure out was_ why _Daisy was acting so blasé about the battle. Originally, it seemed like Daisy had tried to separate the battle with the intent of upstaging Misty by defeating Paul single-handedly, but the insane choice of sending Fearow against Aggron blew that idea out of the water. Either way, Misty was going to give the girl a piece of her mind when all was said and done.

Misty shook off her heavy musings and turned to choosing her next Pokémon. On the other side of the field, May's Venusaur was still standing, but it looked obviously drained after the intense battle with Gyarados. It was enjoying a brief rest while Paul's Pokémon took care of Fearow. Somehow the Flying Type had managed to knock out Paul's Aggron, but his third and final choice showed no signs of going down under the bird Pokémon's assault. Weavile, whose ice moves were especially powerful on Flying Types, was vindictively destroying the bird and clearly enjoying itself in the process.

Misty's third choice of Pokémon was crucial to the outcome of the match. It was clear that Daisy was going to be without a Pokémon any minute now, leaving Misty with not one but two opponents to deal with. Weavile's Type would prove less difficult to deal with as all Ice Pokémon were weak to water attacks, but Venusaur's Grass background would prove the biggest challenge. Gyarados had struggled against the Seed Pokémon, and it was half-Flying Type – for the rest of her pure Water Type team, things were going to be a whole lot more difficult.

Weighing her options, Misty seized her third and final Pokéball and thrust it onto the battlefield.

'Staryu, go!' she cried.

The brown, star-shaped Pokémon appeared in a flash of light, its inner core glowing eagerly.

'Staryu, Swift Attack on Venusaur!' Misty shouted immediately. She hoped that the Normal Type attack would deemphasize her obvious Type disadvantage.

Instantly obeying her command, Staryu emitted a stream of star shaped bullets, each one glowing with white light. Venusaur grunted with displeasure as the damage dealing move collided with the flower on its back, but May wasn't giving up so easily.

'Venusaur, try using your Vine Whip to dispel that Swift Attack!' called the Coordinator.

Eight vines immediately sprang from various places on Venusaur's body, and with one accord swept across the trail of stars, sending the glowing fragments in every direction. Misty gritted her teeth; time for another strategy.

'Staryu, Rapid Spin!' she cried.

Staryu responded by leaping into the air and propelling itself into a spin, accelerating rapidly as it drew closer tocloser to Venusaur.

'Venusaur, use Vine Whip to knock Staryu out of the air!'

Misty's stomach clenched; though she had anticipated such a response from May, it still shook her just how close she was to losing this battle.

'Staryu, dodge them, quickly!' she shouted.

Staryu performed excellently, seamlessly weaving in and out of the snaking vines and striking Venusaur head on. And though the power of the attack had been lessened by Staryu's need to check its own speed, Venusaur seemed dazed by the attack, staggering backwards. Misty felt the adrenaline begin to pump; time to end this.

'Staryu, Hidden Power!'

'Venusaur, counter with Solar Beam!'

Staryu sprang back up, its star-shaped body glowing in a cloak of blue and yellow rings. Misty felt a burst of pride; this was her oldest Pokémon's newest move, and she knew Staryu loved to show it off. Out from the Water Pokémon's body a barrage of spherical white bullets exploded, rushing towards Venusaur in a frothy white tide. On the other side of the field, Venusaur's large red flower began to glow white, but the tired Pokémon was struggling to power itself up. Misty felt a rush of exhilarating certainty; she had it now.

And so before it could summon its own attack, Venusaur was engulfed in the mass of bubbles, roaring in agony as it was blasted backwards. When the dust settled on that part of the battlefield, Venusaur did not stir.

Misty resisted the urge to whoop with triumph. She was so proud of her Staryu, winning such an important match even with a Type disadvantage. But her heart lurched when she saw May's disappointed face; that had always been the problem with this battle. One of them had to lose.

But as the Coordinator caught Misty's eye she smiled with sincerity, sending her friend an enthusiastic thumbs up. Misty felt a rush of relief, mimicking both gestures. May had performed extraordinarily, especially considering her Coordinator status_**,**_ and she knew her friend would be proud of her own performance. She should have known that someone like May would never make her feel guilty for winning.

And just as she was enjoying a wave of relief and happiness, Misty saw something that made her heart stop. Fearow was plummeting to the ground, its eyes closed and its wings limp and lifeless. She let out a gasp, sure that the bird was going to plough itself into the ground, but somehow Daisy managed to recall it before it struck the ground. Misty let out a huge sigh of relief, never happy to see a Pokémon suffer.

And then it hit her. Daisy was out of Pokémon, and on the other side of the field stood a fired up half Dark Type that was determined to take down her Staryu.

*****

'Noctowl, use Air Slash on Flygon!'

'Nidoqueen, use Double Kick on Flygon!'

'Noctowl – wait, stop – '

'Flygon, get into the air!'

The beautiful green and pink half-Dragon Type spread its lacy wings and attempted to haul itself into the sky, but both strikes came too quickly. A glowing ball of wind energy, summoned from under Noctowl's wings, collided with the side of Flygon's body, catching it off guard and slamming it backwards onto the ground. It lay still, its wings twitching feebly, and on the other side of the field, Ash saw Drew hastily raise the Pokéball he already held in his hand. But Drew was too late. Nidoqueen's brutal feet slammed Flygon full in the face, bruising its lithe body and forcing it back down into the dirt. Flygon let out a pained cry as the attack struck but could do nothing to resist the attack, its head dropping to the battle floor as it fell utterly still.

'Flygon is unable to battle. The green team is the winner!'

Ash stared at Flygon's crumpled form sprawled in the dust, a lump rising in his throat as the Pokémon disappeared in a beam of red light. Even from where he stood Ash could see that Drew's face was white and strained, and for several seconds, the Coordinator simply stared at the Pokéball clutched in his taut fingers. Ash watched as Dawn edged carefully forwards, clutching the still dazed Piplup in her arms, and laid a timid hand on Drew's arm in comfort.

Ash turned away, staring blankly up at the cheering crowds as his stomach lurched with disgust. As much as he searched within himself, he could grasp no joy or pride in his victory, and it wasn't because he'd been sure all along that he and Gary would win – they were the top pair of Trainers in the school, after all. No, the only positive emotion Ash was experiencing was relief; something he'd never associated with a battle before, and certainly not with a victory. With the end of the battle, Ash was free from Gary. And now that he was free from Gary, he was thus free from the shackles that had forced him into the role of accomplice in a spectacle that had only yielded shame and anger for him and pain and humiliation for his friends and opponents.

Ash felt a surge of white hot anger as he turned to look at his ex-partner. Gary was soaking up the crowd's noisy appreciation like a flower soaking up sunlight, utterly in his element as he basked in the praises of others. The disgust rose in Ash as he stared with unblinking eyes at his partner's gloating expression, but something else stirred in him as well. Something a lot like fear. Ash, a childhood friend of his now vicious rival, had always assumed that he knew every facet of Gary's transparent and voracious desire to win. He'd always assumed that the brash, swaggering attitude was all smoke and mirrors, a mere plea for attention from a boy who, deep down, was disappointed in himself.

And yet now, Ash knew in his heart that that was untrue. He felt that he was staring into the face of a stranger, one whom he had never known – a stranger who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted, even if it meant hurting an innocent Pokémon. And Ash was afraid, for he realized for the first time that he had no measure of his adversary. He had no idea just how far Gary would go to get what he wanted. He was a dangerous, capricious unknown, a bottomless pit, and one whom Ash was so utterly different from that he could never hope to understand Gary's motives.

Gary seemed to feel Ash's gaze and turned away from the crowd and towards his partner. The two young men stared at each other in silence, Ash's brown eyes gaze boring into Gary's chilly blue one. Ash could see the challenge in Gary's eyes, the dare to confront him again of what had passed during the battle.

Ash turned away.

*****

'Weavile, Dark Pulse!'

This was it. If Staryu was hit with such an attack, the battle would be over. Misty had one shot at victory, and she was going to play to the Ice Type's weaknesses.

'Staryu, Hydro Pump!' she hollered.

A tremendous burst of water emitted from Staryu's top spike, jetting towards Weavile and clashing with the purple and black stream emitting from the Sharp Claw Pokémon's hands. Misty held her breath, watching anxiously as the two attacks collided in mid air. This was the crucial moment, when one Pokémon would give up and allow itself to be engulfed. And if that happened to Staryu, her Doubleteam Tournament would be over.

Staryu strained for several more seconds, and with a huge last effort it doubled the pressure behind its Hydro Pump, forcing the mixture of Dark Pulse and water back towards Weavile. Paul's Pokémon tried to respond, thrusting its hands forwards in a valiant effort to strengthen its own attack, but the force of the Hydro Pump proved too much. Yielding to the attack, it was catapulted backwards landing in a tangled heap some ten feet back from where it had first stood.

'Weavile is unable to battle,' the referee called, raising his flag. 'The red team wins!'

For a brief, blissful moment, Misty lost herself in the thrill of victory, absorbing the cheers of the crowd as she allowed the all the tension and worry to drain away. It didn't matter how close it had been. She'd won, and that was all that mattered. She had a place in the final. In her first ever Intraschool Competition, she was going to come out ranked in the top two.

And then out of the corner of her eye, Misty spotted Daisy waving triumphantly up at the crowds with all the airs of a conquering hero. Misty let out a snarl. Time to give that spoiled, stuck up little princess a piece of her mind.

'You complete and utter _idiot,_' Misty exploded, balling up her fists. Daisy started, turning around to face her partner, and Misty was savagely glad the crowds were so noisy – it meant she could yell as loudly as she wanted.

'You have absolutely _no_ concept of teamwork at all!' Misty ranted, her face reddening furiously. 'What the heck were you playing at, trying to take on Aggron with Fearow? If you had any brains in your head at all, you would have taken Venusaur and let me handle Aggron! Are you so stupid that you don't know Flying Types have an advantage over Grass Types???'

'But we still won, did we not?' Daisy said, smiling serenely

'No thanks to you!' Misty screeched. She had never been so angry in her entire life, and she knew in her heart it wasn't all about the battle. Pushing that thought away, she raised her voice even louder. 'We almost lost because of your stupidity! If you had just _listened_ to me, we could have had this won ten minutes ago, and I wouldn't have been left to pick up the pieces of your mess! You don't deserve to be a Trainer – in fact, you don't deserve to have Pokémon, period! You let my Pokémon suffer for _absolutely no reason at all!'_

Misty was panting heavily, her hands still scrunched into balls. The strength of her zeal took her by surprise, and she knew she needed to get a grip on herself. She could see May and Paul approaching from the other side of the field, and if she let herself continue any longer she'd make even more a fool of herself.

'No reason at all?' Daisy purred in a velvety voice, her cold blue eyes boring into Misty. 'You honestly think I'd be so stupid as to send a Flying Type against a Rock Type – for no reason?'

Misty reeled, swallowing sharply as her head spun with questions. 'What sort of reason could you have for doing something that idiotic?' she managed to spit acidly.

Daisy chuckled smoothly. 'Oh, it was all for you, Misty.'

'What the heck do you mean?' Misty questioned roughly.

'I got the idea when I saw you use that monster Gyarados.' Daisy raised her eyebrows, staring gloatingly at Misty. 'Couldn't have you using it in the final round, so I decided I'd let you tire it out for me. A job which you did perfectly, I might add.'

Misty's insides went cold as she remembered that her original intention had been to recall Gyarados after one round, thus giving it time to recover before the final battle, but she'd been so caught up that she'd forgotten to be careful. It hit her for the first time that after a performance like that, it would never be sufficiently rested up in time.

'I knew we'd win.' Daisy's gaze never left Misty, who was rooted to the spot. 'I knew that even if I left you out there alone, you'd find some way to come out on top. And I used that to my advantage, and you know what? It worked out pretty well. Just don't expect your luck to last the next battle.'

Daisy smiled with slow satisfaction, giving a small_**,**_ patronizing wave as she glided towards May and Paul.

'See you in the finals, Misty,' she called casually over her shoulder.

*****

'Nice job, Ash,' Dawn said with a big smile, pulling her older friend into a quick, one armed hug.

'Thanks,' muttered Ash, grimacing painfully as he attempted to smile. Dawn's eyes shot to Gary and when she was sure he wasn't looking, she gave Ash's arm a comforting squeeze. Ash smiled gratefully down at her; it was a relief to know that she wasn't going to bite his head off any time soon.

Dawn then turned on Gary, her smile disappearing and her eyes blazing with suppressed anger.

'Congratulations, Gary,' she said in a toneless voice, seizing his outstretched hand and giving it one firm shake before dropping his fingers like she'd been contaminated with a horrible infectious disease.

Drew stepped forward, clapping Ash hard on the back. 'Good match, Ketchum,' he said briskly. 'You're clearly in the middle of a lucky streak if you were able to beat me, so you'd better hope it lasts the next match.'

Ash chuckled weakly. 'You did great, Hayden,' he said sincerely, punching his friend lightly on the upper arm.

Drew raised an eyebrow. 'Of course I did great. I always do great.'

Ash snorted with real mirth. Trust Drew to come out with a line like that a time like this. 'And so modest with it, aren't you?'

Drew grinned. 'You can't hide perfection, you know. Win the next match for us, 'kay?'

'Anything for you, Drew.'

Drew flashed Ash one more grin before turning to Gary. His smile didn't waver.

'Good job, Oak,' he said in an airy voice, his face the submissive picture of gracious defeat. Gary looked momentarily taken aback, his eyes narrowing suspiciously as he stared at the Coordinator, but he couldn't figure out Drew's angle. Smirking in self-satisfaction, he accepted Drew's proffered hand.

'Thanks, Hayden,' he said loftily.

Drew's smile widened and his hand closed tightly around Gary's. Gary winced as Drew began pumping his hand up and down most enthusiastically – Ash could hear a number of nasty cracking sounds coming from his rival cum partner's fingers. Gary managed to wrench his abused fingers out from the Coordinator's steely grip and glared furiously at him, gingerly stretching his hand before letting it fall back to his side. Drew shot him a positively evil grin before turning on his heel and marching away, Dawn trailing after him.

Ash watched as they headed for the tunnel that led straight to the school Pokémon Center; as the consolation round was always held before the final, it was mere minutes before they would be taking their places in the stadium once more. The crowd on their side of the stadium rose to their feet and Drew and Dawn disappeared to the sound of a standing ovation. Clearly, the crowd had not been oblivious to the unsportsmanlike tactics played out on the field.

This only made Ash feel worse. Though it was clear that neither Coordinator held him responsible for the fiasco of a match, he couldn't shake the guilty feeling in the pit of his stomach. He tried to console himself with the idea of explaining everything to them after the final round, but it didn't make him feel much better.

Dissatisfied, Ash turned and stared over to the other battlefield, where Misty, Daisy, May and Paul were shaking hands, and it occurred to him for the first time that he didn't actually know who had emerged the victors of the other semi-final match. In the clamor and confusion that had followed the end of his own battle, Ash had hardly been able to pull himself together to greet his defeated opponents, let alone pay attention to the workings of the other battle. He wished now that he'd kept a closer eye on the other foursome; but no matter which pair moved on from the semis, he was looking down the barrel at a nasty final match.

If May and Paul had emerged the victors, he would be forced to partner one of them and face off against the other, a prospect Ash certainly did not relish – he'd had enough of fighting with his friends for one day. But if Daisy and Misty had triumphed…well, the possibilities were so terrifying that Ash could hardly bear to think about it. The mere thought made his head spin.

Ash watched anxiously as the two pairs stepped back from each other, and his heart sank like a stone as May and Paul turned and headed into the tunnel that had swallowed Dawn and Drew just moments before. He didn't even stop to consider how awkward the consolation round would be for the quarrelsome foursome, since they would not know who would partner who until they reappeared in the stadium. He was too busy freaking out about his own battle.

Ash felt himself begin to redden as Daisy and Misty began to walk towards him and Gary. He took a deep, steadying breath but the tangle of nerves in his throat made it rather difficult to swallow. Get a grip, he told himself firmly. Stay focused. You just have to partner Daisy, the girl you're using, or Misty, the girl who used you. No big deal. You can handle this.

Even from a distance, Ash could see that Daisy had her beady eyes fixed greedily upon him, and he groaned inwardly. Daisy's demonstrative protectiveness got on his nerves and he knew that nothing would please her more than the chance to wrap herself around him in front of the whole school. Ash tried to turn away from both girls, but before he could stop himself, his eyes slid to Misty.

Her long silky hair was pushed roughly back from her face, which was flushed with fury, and her fists were balled so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. Her mouth was set into a taut line, her teeth gritted. But her eyes…her eyes burned like turquoise fire, spitting angry flares at everything in sight.

Ash knew the signs only too well; Misty had just lost her temper.

The two girls were very close now, but before he could so much as open his mouth, Daisy jumped right in. He watched as she not-so-subtly pushed Misty to the side before flashing him a sultry smile.

'Hey Ash, congratulations on your win, baby.'

Ash had to work very hard not to wince at her words; he was pretty sure he'd never been called 'baby' by anyone but his mother before, and the effect was excruciating. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Misty's tortured expression, and his heart leapt. Pulling himself together, he tossed his head dismissively, running a hand through his hair and smiling flirtatiously.

'You too, beautiful,' he crooned, winking at Daisy and trying to suppress the sudden urge to throw up all over Daisy's designer high heels.

Misty looked like she'd just swallowed a lemon, and Gary let out a disgusted snort. But before either could air their opinion of the nauseating dialogue building between Ash and Daisy, a thundering voice echoed through the vast stadium.

'Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, your four finalists!' Professor Oak boomed, his voiced oddly distorted by the echo of the crowd.

'Gary Oak! Daisy Oak! Misty Waterflower and Ash Ketchum!'

Ash managed a weak wave, and Misty just stared blankly up at the sea of color in the stands. Gary, however, tossed the crowd a perfectly languid wave and Daisy just smiled mysteriously, an expression she'd clearly practiced in the mirror.

'Congratulations to the four of you! Now, the consolation round will begin in moments, but first we will discover which of these finalists will be paired for the final round!'

Panic gripped Ash's chest as he turned to stare up at one of the four gigantic screens which clung to the walls of the school stadium. It displayed four towering pictures of the four finalists; heand Gary on one side and Daisy and Misty on the other, indicating the pairings of the last round. Ash snuck a look at his fellow Trainers. Misty's face appeared paler than usual, Daisy's smile had disappeared and even Gary's permanent smirk looked oddly forced. Gulping thickly, Ash turned his attention back to the screen.

The pictures on the screen disappeared, leaving an empty bracket with space for two competitors on one side and two on the other. Above them were two empty spaces; the spaces that would eventually hold the pictures of the two champions. The four lower boxes began to flash as the four finalists' pictures randomly rotated between them, flickering faster and faster. Ash caught a glimpse of Misty's smiling face, only for it to be replaced with Gary's ugly smirk.

Ash's mind was racing. Daisy or Misty; he still couldn't decide which would be the less painful alternative.

And then, after what felt like an eternity, the pictures locked into place with a cheerful beep, indicating that the final partnerships had been selected. Ash stared blankly up at the board, and he knew in his heart that this was what he had been dreading all along.

This cannot be happening to me, he thought numbly, as all three of his fellow trainers turned to stare at him.

*****

Finis! WHO is Ash's partner??? Guess you'll just have to wait and see! The next chapter is sure to be a beast to write but I promise I'll do my best to get it finished ASAP.

On one of my reader's profiles, I came across this really awesome thing where they'd listed what they would be like if they attended Hogwarts (i.e. house, Quidditch position, description of wand etc.) and I thought it was really cool. But unfortunately I can't remember who it was, so if this sounds like something you have/had on your profile, could you let me know? I'd love to check it out again :)

Another thing - one of my many lovely reviewers, **RoCkErChIcKmAgNeNt, **sent me a truly awesome gift via PM the other day. For all you Pokeshippers out there, check out this link, because it seriously made my day. I'd love to hear your opinions of it, so if you're reviewing, just let me know what you think - **TL **and I agree that this is AWESOME. Just type /watch?v=UXJrckR66lk into your internet explorer thing and add Youtube . com in frot of the slash, without the spaces, and it'll take you straight to it - and check out the description below the video before you watch because otherwise, it's kind of confusing. I could have squealed out loud when I watched this so check it out!

**Review Replies:**

I was absolutely blown away by the response to the last chapter. I received close to forty reviews in the last week, and the last chapter alone racked up 26 alone, which has got to be some sort of world record. Seriously, guys, you have no idea how much this means to me – I never, ever get tired of reading about how much you enjoy this. I wish I had the time to thank you all personally, because I love you all SO much. But I do think special thanks go to my new reader **Steveaaml**, who reviewed just about every chapter and always stated his favorite lines, which I totally love. **Poliwirl42 **also left a totally epic review (I was so happy when you said my writing was excellent, thank you!!!) as did **Samia-chan **but seriously, you all ROCK!

**Survey Results:**

Thank you all so much for your enthusiastic responses – again, I could shout out about so many people who left me smiling! Anonymous reviewer **Asertju **gets a special mention for including the most evidence :) Getting the results together proved a little complicated so I made a table when I was adding them up, and categorized all your answers as either definitely happening, a chance it would happen or you just hope it would happen! Consequently, these results are approximate as I had to generalize some of your responses, but I did my best and here are the approximate results:

_Ash and Misty:_ seven thought for definite, seven a chance and four hopes

_May and Drew:_ eight thought for definite, ten a chance and one hopes

_Dawn and Paul:_ one for definite, three a chance and two hope

_Dawn and Gary:_ one a chance

_Dawn and Kenny:_ one for definite, three a chance

_Jessie and James:_ two a chance, one hope

_Ash and May (NOOOO!):_ two a chance

So I think all in all, Contestshipping seems the most likely with Pokeshipping coming in a close second. But at least seven of you mentioned that you don't think shippings will happen at all, and much as it pains me to admit it, I think you all might be right. But hey, as **KawaiiCherryBlossom-aka-BWF **said, that's what fanfiction is for :)


	21. Breaking Free

Hello, lovely people! Okay so I know you all probably hate me by now for taking so long at this, but I promise I was hard at work the whole time. This chapter just proved to be unbelievably difficult to write – there was just so much going on. It also sits at over twelve thousand words, which makes it the longest chapter so far by a long shot. But here it finally is, so enjoy!

This chapter is dedicated to **Texas Longhorn **:)

Note: Spoilers ahead for Ash's Silver Conference battle.

Chapter Twenty One: Breaking Free

The crowd was cheering as Professor Oak announced the final pairings, his voice rolling through the stadium like thunder. Ash was oblivious to the clamor; his senses felt muffled, and the crowd seemed to echo from a long way off. He felt oddly detached from the situation. It was almost as if he were outside of his body, watching himself stand there and gaze desperately up at the screen as if staring at it long enough would change the fate it had brought upon him.

Ash took a deep, shuddering breath, suddenly aware of the fact that his three fellow competitors were staring at him. Their expressions showed an interesting range of emotions: Gary's face was calm and blank but his eyes were oddly anxious; Daisy looked like she was about to breathe fire and Misty…well, Misty looked like she's just been hit with her own mallet. Her crystal blue eyes were dazed and unfocused and her mouth hung a little open, like a Magikarp taking a snooze.

Ash turned back to the screen. There it was, in full color, for all the world to see; his name linked with Misty's, under their tall, smiling pictures. And there was nothing he could do about it. His brain turned to soup just thinking about it.

Nurse Joy appeared though a door concealed by the stadium wall and gestured for them to join her. Gary, cool as an ice cube, began sauntering over to the pretty nurse; Ash saw Daisy throw her brother a venomous glance as she followed him. Misty fell into step behind her ex-partner and Ash could do nothing but follow suit.

The door turned out to be an entrance to a long corridor that led straight to the school Pokémon Centre, where each competitor had the chance to check in their injured Pokémon for treatment and select a new team for the final battle. Misty was first and Ash watched curiously as she hesitated over a Pokéball, clearly in two minds whether to leave it at the Centre or not. Her face crumpled as she eventually surrendered the tool into Nurse Joy's grasp.

When all four finalists had a full team Nurse Joy escorted them back onto the field, indicating a small group of seats in the lower part of the stands that had been specially set aside for the use of the finalists. Ash pushed his way to the front of the group and threw himself down in the far seat, determined not to be stuck beside either Misty or Gary. As he'd predicted, Daisy immediately swooped into the seat beside him, shooting Misty an evil glare. Misty crossed her arms and refused point blank to sit beside her ex-partner so Gary filed in next to his sister, leaving Misty to perch on the opposite end of the row to Ash.

Down on the field, Drew, Paul, Dawn and May were trudging out onto the field, but Ash was barely watching them; nor was he listening to Daisy's moaning over how unfair it was that they weren't partners. He was too busy worrying about the upcoming match.

He'd started out determined to win the Tournament for his own sake, but now that he was facing Gary as an opponent, everything was riding on this match. This was the chance he'd been waiting for. If he lost, it would be another month before he had a chance to redeem himself. Another month of a horrifically gloating Gary shadowing his every move and seizing every opportunity to berate his stupidity, his laughable technique and pathetic insistence that the most important thing was the bond between Trainer and Pokémon. He wasn't sure if he could take it.

But if he won…everything would change. He'd be back as the school's top Trainer. He'd get his bragging rights restored, and Gary wouldn't be able to make a single crack about his battle style or his weak Pokémon. He'd regain the respect of everyone and prove to them all that he didn't care about Gary stealing Misty in the slightest. And maybe, just maybe, he'd start to actually feel that way himself.

At least, that's what Ash told himself.

But how the _heck _was he ever going to manage to win? He was only stuck partnering the girl he loved and hated with the fire of a thousand suns. How were they ever going to communicate and work as a team? Heck, could he even bring himself to _talk_ to her, after everything she'd done?

Leaning forward on the pretence of getting a better view of the field, where May, Drew, Dawn and Paul were all hesitantly shaking hands, Ash shot Misty a covert glance out of the corner of his eye.

The frostiness between Misty and her new boyfriend was painfully obvious. Misty was slumped in her chair, leaning as far away from Gary as possible and staring blankly down at the stadium floor, where the four competitors of the consolation round were uncomfortably gathered. Gary made no attempt to engage her in conversation; his eyes flicked between her and Ash, the worried look back in his eyes despite his smooth countenance.

Ash's forehead creased in confusion, Drew's words from the morning floating back into his mind for the first time that day:

_It doesn't seem right, somehow…it's common knowledge that she was crazy about Ash. Why would she dump him for someone else?_

Ash's gaze traced Misty's wintry expression, her haughtily ruffled amber hair, her flinty eyes, and wondered, for what felt like the millionth time, how someone he cared about so much could treat him like that.

His mouth tightened and he gave his head a quick shake, battling the internal division. He didn't have the time to worry about that now. Tuning out Daisy's whining, Ash forced himself to concentrate on the battle beginning on the field below.

* * *

The two battlefields that had hosted the semifinals matches had disappeared, their glowing lines fading into the dust, and one larger battlefield had replaced them. Misty's eyes were fixed on the four figures who were taking their places in the Trainer boxes, but she might as well have been staring at a blank wall, for all she was actually seeing.

After suffering the humiliation of losing to Gary and thus losing the bet where she'd been forced to risk everything; after the pain of Ash's condescension and disgust; after enduring Daisy's gloating spite; after battling through the first three rounds of the tournament and even after surviving a match paired with Daisy…after all of that, she found herself bound to Ash for the final round. It didn't seem fair, somehow.

Ash and Misty not spoken since the day she'd lost to Gary. Misty was forced to acknowledge that if they were to battle together, some basic communication would be necessary if they hoped to win the match – she had no doubt that Gary and Daisy would prove an extremely challenging team to beat. And yet Ash's attitude towards her had been nothing but ice and steel. It was an impossible situation.

Misty's empty gaze slid across to the other side of the stadium, where the students were clustered in the lower rows, hanging over the railings and cheering themselves hoarse. She wondered briefly what today would have been like, if only Gary had left her alone. She would be sitting next to Ash. They would be congratulating themselves on their excellent good luck at being paired together, merrily arguing over strategy and occasionally finding the time to cheer on their four friends…

Feeling guilty for being so self centered, Misty tried to focus on the battle playing out right in front of her. The consolation round had been raging for several minutes, and Misty was ashamed to admit to herself that this was the first time she'd paid it any attention to it. It only took one glance to see where things were headed.

On one side of the field, in the box marked out for the trainers, stood May and Dawn. Clearly, the relief of being paired together was already starting to wear off; both of the girls seemed to have lost their heads entirely. Even from where she sat, Misty could hear snatches of their conversation.

'Blaziken, uhhh…Ember!' May shouted wildly, flapping her arms about like a windmill. 'On, erm…on Butterfree! No, on Hariyama! No, I mean on Butterfree!'

'May, no!' Dawn screeched, grabbing her friend and shaking her. 'Get Blaziken to take Butterfree, Buneary'll never be able to beat it, it's got the type advantage!'

'I _am _taking Butterfree – you blind or something, woman?' May demanded. 'Look, Blaziken's attacking it right now!'

'No, no, I mean take _Hariyama_!' Dawn shrieked, tearing at her hair. 'It's a Fighting Type, Buneary's got no chance!'

'Alright, alright, you do something with Butterfree then! Blaziken, switch your Ember to Hariyama, actually! Yeah, that one! Nice job!'

On the opposing side, things weren't going much better. Drew seemed to be attempting to forcibly rip Paul's head from his body.

'You stupid purple haired freak!' Drew shrieked, seizing his friend by the collar. 'Attack her Buneary! You've only got a _giant_ type advantage that could win us this match!'

Paul scowled deeply and wrenched himself from Drew's steely grip. 'Uhhh…no,' he replied icily, sidestepping his friend. 'Hariyama, use Arm Thrust on Blaziken!'

Drew's face went very red. 'Will you stop being such a wuss?' he shouted. 'Take down her Pokémon!'

Paul's cheeks went a little pink but he scowled even more fiercely. 'Well, why don't _you_ try and take down May's Blaziken?' he snapped. 'It's already scorched your Butterfree once this round, you should be out for revenge!'

Drew's spluttered indignantly, his face going positively purple, but he could find no argument to the contrary. Paul smirked, cocking his eyebrow disdainfully and looking almost scarily like Gary for a moment.

'That's what I thought, tough guy. Now get that Butterfree to knock Buneary out!'

Drew muttered something incomprehensible and turned back to the battle. 'Butterfree, use Stun Spore on Buneary!' he said loudly.

Misty's fingers began to fidget nervously and she crossed her arms tightly to stop them shaking. Her whole body seemed to hum with nervous energy, and even as Butterfree performed a magnificent Stun Spore on Buneary, she couldn't make herself concentrate. Her mind kept returning to what was waiting for her on the other side of the consolation round. She felt cold every time she thought about it…she would have to stand at Ash's side in front of the whole school and battle with him…

A piercing whistle jerked Misty back to attention and she quickly turned her attention to the battle. In her mental absence, the whole thing had descended into chaos – much to the amusement of the rest of the audience. The four Pokémon on the field seemed to have picked up on their owner's hesitations and despite the various commands all four competitors were yelling, their Pokémon just ran wild. Blaziken was roaring and launching random fireballs at whichever of its opponents came closest; Butterfree was high in the air, displaying its impressive Silver Wind attack for the benefit of the spectators; Hariyama was flexing its muscles and doing push ups; Buneary, safe behind Blaziken, was waving sweetly up at the cooing crowd.

Misty started to laugh as May and Dawn left off yelling at their Pokémon and began shrieking at each other, each gesticulating wildly at the other's Pokémon. Drew and Paul also seemed to have lost interest in the battle; Drew was hollering at Paul to do something and for once in his life, the level headed Trainer looked completely and utterly lost.

'All four of the Pokémon on the field refuse to battle,' the referee roared, waving his flag. 'Recall all monsters and progress to Round Three!'

There was an angry outcry from both sides of the field, but the referee wouldn't budge. Giving up, four jets of red light meant that four errant Pokémon were immediately withdrawn from the match. Strains of various consolations and tellings-off floated through the air:

'Blaziken, you bad boy! You do what I tell you, you hear?'

'It's okay, Butterfree…that Silver Wind was very pretty after all…'

'I know you were scared, Buneary, but that still doesn't give you a right not to listen to me!'

'If you EVER disobey me again, Hariyama, I swear…'

As each of the competitors chose another Pokémon, Misty glanced at thescreen on the opposite wall; apparently,May, Dawn, Drew and Paul were all on their last Pokémon. Misty winced, wondering how she'd managed to miss the first round entirely.

'Gliscor, go!'

'Spotlight, Cyndaquil!'

'I choose you, Masquerain!'

'Take the stage, Beautifly!'

The third round progressed haphazardly, much like the previous two, but at least the four competitors were able to keep control of their Pokémon. May and Dawn appeared to have gotten over their momentary rift and were bringing out the big guns in an attempt to win the battle.

'Cyndaquil, use Lava Plume on Masquerain!' Dawn cried. Her little Fire Mouse Pokémon let out a sharp cry, the flames on its back exploding into a suffocating cloud of smog and embers which immediately engulfed Masquerain. The delicate Eyeball Pokémon began to wail, flapping its wings hard in an attempt to escape the smoke and flames.

'Beautifly, fly above Cyndaquil's Lava Plume and use a Tackle on Gliscor!' May shouted. Beautifly immediately soared above its partner's attack and headed straight for Gliscor, who had been partially surrounded by Cyndaquil's Lava Plume attack. Beautifly came bursting out of the haze, its colorful wings glowing in the sunlight, and careened straight into Gliscor. The half Ground type was caught off guard and thrown several feet backwards.

But Drew and Paul weren't giving up that easily. Beautifly's Tackle had helped clear some of the smog produced by Cyndaquil, and Masquerain quickly recovered itself.

'Masquerain, use Gust on Cyndaquil!' Drew yelled.

Masquerain drew itself up and flapped its wings so hard that they became a blur. The all important flames on Cyndaquil's back began to flicker and die, the little Fire Pokémon squealing under the strain of keeping the source of its power alive.

'Cyndaquil, jump out of the way!' Dawn cried.

As Cyndaquil retreated, Gliscor managed to evade Beautifly's ongoing Tackle, leaving it free to make its own move.

'Gliscor, Steel Wing on Beautifly!' Paul commanded.

The black parts of Gliscor's wings glowed white with power and it struck Beautifly hard, sending the pretty half Bug type sailing backwards.

Misty watched as May's face turned pale, her eyes glittering as she stared at her Beautifly. She turned abruptly towards Dawn and the two girls had a quick, whispered conversation, Dawn nodding seriously. They both turned back to the battle, their faces sporting matching determined expressions.

'Beautifly, Psychic on Masquerain!' May cried in a tremulous voice.

'Cyndaquil, finish Gliscor with a Flamethrower!' Dawn shouted simultaneously.

From Beautifly's head exploded a beam of frosty blue light, heading straight for Masquerain; Cyndaquil unleashed a jet of blazing fire, the flames on its back flaring victoriously. Drew and Paul exchanged a stunned glance but there was no time to confer; they had to act.

'Masquerain, counter with a Hyper Beam!' Drew shouted anxiously.

'Gliscor, X-Scissor, now!' Paul hollered.

Masquerain responded with amazing speed, powering up an enormous jet of glittering amber light and firing it towards Beautifly. At the same time Gliscor launched itself higher into the air and slashed its glowing claws in a menacing "X" shape, leaving an eerie pale blue cross shape that it fired across the field, aiming for Cyndaquil.

The resulting explosion, as all four different attacks met in the centre of the battlefield, was so powerful that it forced every spectator backwards into their seat. Misty clapped her hands over her ears as the shock wave thundered through the stadium, and down on the battle floor she saw May clinging to Dawn to prevent the younger Coordinator from being thrown to the ground. A towering plume of mushroom shaped smoke soared into the air and out of the open roof of the stadium, leaving a smoky, sulfuric tang breezing through the stadium.

Misty leaned eagerly forward as the haze began to clear; the crowd was quiet, back on their feet again as they eagerly awaited the sight of the winning pair. When the dusty battle floor finally became visible, it was clear who had won.

'All four of the Pokémon on the field are unable to battle,' the referee shouted, wiping the sweat from his forehead. 'The match is a draw!'

Misty's face broke out into a large grin as she saw May and Dawn exchange horrified glances. Paul and Drew didn't look any happier with the state of affairs; indeed, the two so-called friends had already begun tussling with each other, each clearly blaming the other for the loss. Misty didn't have a chance to watch them meet and shake hands. It was time for her to fight her own battles.

Misty felt like the blood in her veins had turned to ice. She didn't look at Ash as the four finalists clambered down the stairs and onto the floor of the Pokémon High Stadium.

* * *

Ash's legs moved mechanically as he shuffled out onto the battlefield, heading towards the Trainer box marked in red. Adrenaline was singing through his veins, heightening his senses and sharpening the nerves that clawed anxiously at the pit of his stomach. The cheers that lit up the stadium bore oppressively down on him, like physical pressure, and the bland impersonal faces of the crowd seemed to meld together, like in a distorted dream.

Ash took his place in the box, all his senses strained on the girl who walked behind him. He sidled into the corner farthest from her, shooting her a sideways glance. Her face had paled to a clammy gray, but her eyes still burned with grim determination.

An awkward silence pervaded the small red box that cut them off from the rest of the world. Ash was very aware that this was the first time they'd been comparatively alone together for an entire week. He was glad, for the first time, for the noise of the crowd; it diluted the testy quiet.

The silence stretched on in increasingly uncomfortable lines as they waited for Gary and Daisy to take their places on the other side of the field. Ash's eyes narrowed as they alighted upon his enemy; if he didn't know better, he would have said that Gary was dragging his feet on purpose.

Misty cleared her throat slightly and Ash's insides leapt, his eyes snapping automatically to her face. Misty seemed to feel his eyes on her and turned to face him, their eyes locking instantly. For a moment, everything seemed to fade; the stadium, the battle, the betrayal. Ash was conscious of nothing but those glittering blue eyes staring straight back at him, pleading with him. The tension that had been crushing his chest for seven days straight seemed to melt away in an instant. He could breathe freely again. This was the way it was supposed to be.

Then the referee stepped forwards and began bawling out the conditions of the battle. Misty started, blinking rapidly, before turning hastily away and hiding her humiliated face by peering at the Pokéballs attached to her hip. Her lips were trembling. Ash's heart sank and he ground his teeth together in frustration. He hated that after all this time, after everything she'd done to him, she still held him captive. He wanted to kick himself for being so weak.

Ash turned to stare blankly at the referee, who was finishing his monologue on the rules of a double battle. His flag whipped merrily as he snapped it downwards.

'Begin!'

With that cry, Ash felt reality hit him like a ton of bricks. For the last few minutes, he'd allowed his feelings for Misty to take over; now the conditions of the battle and what was at stake came rushing back to him. Here he was, facing Gary in a fair battle. He could not waste time on self pity or regret. He could not afford to show weakness, especially towards Misty. This was the chance he'd been waiting for - his chance to prove himself, and defend his title, and nothing was going to stop him from winning.

Ash bared his teeth in a feral snarl, glaring poisonously at his hated opponent. He felt his well tuned battle instincts began to take over, his brain automatically surveying the conditions of the battlefield, mentally scrolling through his own available Pokemon, predicting the possible first choice of both his partner and his opponents. He grabbed the peak of his hat and yanked it backwards, settling it into its old battle position, and reached for a Pokéball.

'Clefairy, go!' Daisy shouted.

'Go, Muk!' Ash shouted, seizing a Pokéball from his hip and throwing it out onto the field. The brownish-purple Poison Pokémon appeared, letting out a joyous roar at the sight of its Trainer. Ash smirked across the field towards Gary, sure that such an unorthodox choice would mess with his opponent's attack plan.

Gary coolly appraised the Sludge Pokémon, a small smile playing on his lips. It widened to a smirk as he deftly selected a Pokéball and tossed it casually out onto the field.

'Scizor, go,' he called lazily.

Ash swore under his breath, suddenly remembering his Silver Battle Conference with Gary.

'Starmie, go!' Misty shouted, lobbing her Pokéball out onto the field. The Star Shaped Pokémon appeared in a flash of light, edging nervously away from Muk's slimy toxic bulk.

'Scizor, Tackle on Muk!' Gary called languidly, only the speed with which he gave the command betraying his eagerness to draw first blood.

Ash hesitated, trying to make his muddled brain come up with some sort of plan. Calling on any sort of Poison attack would be nothing but a waste of Muk's strength, as the half Steel Type was immune to Poison attacks. With a match like this, he needed to think outside the box.

Scizor snapped its claws threateningly and rose higher in the air before streaking towards Muk, its body cloaked in a shimmering blue aura. Ash felt a vague touch of panic, falling back on a tactic as old as Pokémon battling itself.

'Muk, just…dodge it,' he shouted in helpless defeat, waving his hands dejectedly. But as the scarlet blur drew closer to Muk he again recalled his struggle with Gary in the Silver Conference, realizing with a grin that he was not the only one who'd made the same mistake twice.

'Muk, just spread out!' he trumpeted triumphantly.

Ash's Poison Type responded so quickly that he wondered if that had been Muk's plan all along. With a nasty squelch, Muk spread itself out into a glistening puddle on the battle floor and Scizor soared straight over it. Ash grinned openly, staring across the field at Gary, who was staring at Scizor with a furious expression. There was _nothing _like getting one up on his archrival.

Scizor was left to circle around and Ash turned his attention to the other side of the battlefield, where Daisy and Misty were facing off. Clefairy seemed to be trying to get close to Starmie but its attempts appeared futile; the half Water Type was repelling it with a powerful Water Gun attack. Ash risked a glance at Misty. Her face was lit up with a vindictive smile and her eyes gleamed with glee. Ash knew that Misty had been itching to destroy Daisy in battle since her first day at Pokémon High, when Daisy had insulted her. He could only imagine the satisfaction she had to be feeling now.

'Muk, combine your Sludge Bomb with Starmie's Water Gun and aim it at Clefairy!'

Misty visibly started, turning to face Ash with an amazed expression. Ash felt himself flush under her gaze but he refused to look at her, staring intently at the battle. Muk had slimed closer to Starmie and was releasing large globs of poisonous sludge from its mouth. The gelatinous bullets were combining with the water to create a powerful jet of toxic matter that was striking Clefairy straight in the face.

'Scizor, use Fury Cutter on Starmie!'

Ash shot Gary a dark glare, quickly debating his next move. Starmie was weak to Bug Types and would suffer a lot of damage from a Bug Type move like Fury Cutter. He glanced at Clefairy, who still looked dazed from the double attack, and made a split second decision.

'Muk, use Body Slam on Scizor!' he shouted.

Scizor's Fury Cutter had already struck; Misty's Pokémon danced backwards, trying to escape as Scizor slashed at it with unrelenting rapidity, but Gary's Pokémon pressed on, dealing out crushing swipes of its large claws. The Pincer Pokémon was so focused that it didn't see Muk coming, and the lumbering Poison Type easily engulfed it in its sticky body.

Meanwhile, Misty's Starmie had recovered itself and Ash spared a glance to see what she would do next.

'Starmie, use Swift on Clefairy!' Misty cried.

But Clefairy, who'd had several seconds to recover itself from Muk and Starmie's joint attack, was back on form and easily evaded the Swift. It backed further away from the half Water Type, clearly squaring up for something big.

'Clefairy, Metronome!' Daisy said clearly, with a confident smile.

Clefairy grinned cheekily and raising both of its index fingers, it began waggling them backwards and forwards in a steady, hypnotic motion.

'Starmie, try a Tackle!' Misty cried, staring in horror as Clefairy's attack escalated.

Though every vengeful fiber in his body urged him to continue attacking Gary, Ash immediately recognized that Clefairy was now the biggest threat. It could not be allowed to complete its move. He was just about to call Muk off when he heard Gary shout, 'Scizor, use Razor Wind on Starmie!'

Ash's attention snapped back to his own Pokémon. In the mere seconds he'd been watching Misty's progress, Scizor had somehow managed to slip from Muk's slimy grasp and now hovered perpendicular to Starmie, using Razor Wind to keep the Star Shaped Pokémon away from Clefairy, and thus allowing the little Fairy Pokémon to complete its Metronome attack. Starmie staggered under the force of the attack, the glowing white crescents striking it again and again.

'Muk, use Sludge on Clefairy!' Ash cried, but he was too late.

A burst of blinding ocher light exploded from Clefairy's raised fingers, the beam jetting straight for Misty's Starmie. There was no blocking it or dodging it; Starmie was immediately overcome, its violet body thrown backwards. Ash heard a sharp gasp and looked quickly at his partner. Misty's face had blanched white as she watched her Pokémon struggle to right itself.

Ash growled. 'Muk, use Pound on Clefairy!' he shouted.

His Poison Type let out a rumbling roar and surged towards Clefairy, raising its larger left arm and bringing it down hard across the Fairy Pokémon's face.

'Scizor, Silver Wind on Muk!' Gary shouted.

'Muk, Smoke Screen!' Ash retaliated harshly, crossing his fingers and hoping that his Pokémon could produce the camouflaging attack before Scizor could strike.

Muk let out a long, loud belch and with it came a thick stream of dark green gas that gave off a horrid reek of rotting eggs. Ash's gamble had paid off; he could see the faint forms of Clefairy and Scizor moving about in the smoke but neither seemed to be able to locate their opponents.

As Muk continued to produce the Smoke Screen, Ash looked anxiously at Misty's Pokémon. Starmie was back on its feet and thought it was carefully avoiding Muk's poisonous torrent, it still seemed able to battle. Ash thought quickly. Both Scizor and Clefairy were momentarily wrong footed; how could he use this to his advantage?

But Misty was way ahead of him.

'Starmie, Rapid Spin!' she shouted.

Starmie immediately launched itself into the air, spinning so fast it became a pink and purple blur. It cut through the fog like a shuriken, crashing into Clefairy with tremendous force. With a squeak of agony the little Pokémon collapsed to the ground, and did not stir again.

But Starmie was not finished. The force of its Rapid Spin was so great that when it struck Clefairy, it simply rebounded off the little Fairy Pokémon and collided straight into Scizor. The Pincer Pokémon was caught off guard and went soaring backwards.

Ash half turned to look at Misty but checking himself, he forced his eyes forwards again. He couldn't help but be impressed with Misty's Pokémon – Starmie had endured what was presumably a Solar Beam yet still had the strength to deal out such a powerfully physical attack itself, strong enough to hit both Pokémon and dissipate much of Muk's Smoke Screen attack.

'Clefairy is unable to battle. The green team selects their third Pokémon!' cried the referee.

Ash narrowed his eyes at Daisy as she recalled her Pokémon. She didn't seem at all fazed at loosing her Clefairy; in fact, she was smiling positively serenely.

'Leafeon, go!' she shouted, throwing a Pokéball down onto the field.

The Verdant Pokémon appeared in a flash of red light and stepped unhurriedly out onto the field, its pale green fur glimmering as it stretched in a distinctly feline manner. Catching sight of Starmie its hazel eyes narrowed and it gave its long, leafy tail a haughty jerk.

Ash's heart sank as Leafeon crouched, tensing for the battle. Daisy had made an excellent choice; as a pure Grass Type, Leafeon would hold the advantage over all of Misty's Pokémon. He needed to take it down with some of Muk's Poison attacks – and fast.

Misty, however, didn't seem at all intimidated by the new addition to the field. In fact, she ignored Daisy's new Pokémon entirely.

'Starmie, Psychic on Scizor!' she called, as soon as the referee indicated that battling could begin again.

Ash couldn't help it this time. He turned to Misty in amazement as Scizor was caught in a web of sparkling blue energy. He was already impressed with Starmie's performance, but this was something different entirely. He knew that several of Misty's Pokémon had capabilities outside of their dominant Water typing, but as far as he'd been aware, she'd never shown much interest in training them to use them. And yet here Starmie was, trapping Scizor in telekinetic power and quelling its chances to retaliate.

'Leafeon, Magical Leaf on Starmie!'

Leafeon's leafy extremities began to glow acidic green and a flurry of razor sharp leaves burst from its body, powering towards Starmie like a hurricane. Starmie seemed to sense this attack coming and began to quiver nervously, the force field around Scizor flickering.

'Muk, Toxic on Leafeon!' Ash shouted.

Muk let out a throaty roar and expelled another jet of gas, this one a murky black, which met Leafeon's Magical Leaf in the centre of the field. Under the influence of the poison, the glittering green darts withered and crumpled to the floor.

Beside Ash, Misty expelled a long, shaky breath.

'Uhhh… thanks,' she muttered, flushing as she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

'No problem,' Ash replied stiffly, trying and failing to quell the pleasant glow her words caused in him.

But Starmie's momentary falter had allowed Scizor to escape the clutches of the Psychic attack, and the large half Bug Type was zoning in on Muk.

'Scizor, Swift Attack on Muk!' Gary shouted.

Ash gritted his teeth, the memory of the Silver Conference battle rushing back to him even more strongly than before. He and Misty needed to swap opponents - and fast.

But once again, Misty already knew what to do.

'Starmie, hit Scizor with a Water Gun!' she called.

Several things began to happen all at once. Scizor threw its head back, releasing a stream of shimmering white stars at Muk. Starmie's central core began to flicker dangerously but it summoned a surprisingly strong jet of water, blasting Scizor's Swift attack away from Muk. The stars scattered, melding with the drops of water and falling like glistening rain upon the battlefield.

Ash felt like cheering. 'Muk, use - '

'Leafeon, use Bullet Seed on Starmie!'

'Scizor, another Swift on Muk!'

Ash's stomach dropped. 'Muk, use Sludge Bomb on Leafeon!' he hollered.

His command came seconds too late. Leafeon had already sent a hail of golden bullets towards Starmie, who was sagging awkwardly with exhaustion. Unable to repel or dodge the attack and especially weak to Grass moves, the half water type succumbed quickly to the force of Leafeon's assault. Ash's heart gave a painful tug as Misty squeaked in dismay.

Starmie lay still on the battlefield as Muk's poisonous darts began raining down upon Leafeon. The Eeveelution skipped around the field, its superior speed allowing it to dance between the sticky fallout. But before Ash could do anything to avoid it, Scizor's final blow struck home and Muk collapsed into a pile of sticky goo with a deadened groan.

'Both red team Pokémon are out of the match. The red team selects their third and fourth Pokémon!'

Misty's face was pale as she recalled her Star Shaped Pokémon, but she smiled as she whispered to it through the curved surface of the Pokéball. Ash tried not to listen in; he felt uncomfortably like he was eavesdropping on a private moment.

Turning away from her, Ash quickly debated his own choice; considering his opponents, he thought it was pretty obvious.

'Infernape, go!' he shouted. The primate-like Pokémon sprang to life on the field, its boldly patterned fur shining in the full sunlight. It caught sight of Scizor on the other side of the field and smiled menacingly, its yellow eyes gleaming as the flame atop its head flared with the challenge.

Gary's expression turned obviously sour at the sight of Ash's half Fire Type, and Ash couldn't resist a smirk. Scizor was toast now.

'Pokéball, go!'

Ash turned quickly as the red light from Misty's Pokéball faded; her choice couldn't have been an easy one, given that Daisy held the obvious type advantage.

'Dewgong!'

Ash stared blankly at the stunning silver-white Pokémon, its pale, lithe body stark against the dingy gray of the dusty battle floor. It bright black eyes scanned the colorful crowd with interest and turning with catlike fluidity to look at Misty, its graceful, feathery tale twitched happily.

Ash had to admit it; Misty could not have made a better choice, and judging from the pleased look on her face, she knew that just as well as he did. As a half Ice Type, Dewgong was not nearly so vulnerable to Leafeon as Misty's other Pokémon, and with Ice attacks in its own arsenal, taking down Daisy's Verdant Pokémon was suddenly within her grasp.

'Begin!' the referee shouted.

'Dewgong, Ice Beam on Leafeon!' Misty said clearly.

'Infernape, Flame Wheel on Scizor!' Ash shouted.

Both red team Pokémon responded at once. Dewgong frisked around, and lifting itself up on its broad tail it summoned a ball of blazing blue energy between its jaws. Leafeon, painfully aware of what was coming, tried to dodge out of the way, but it couldn't match Dewgong's speed; the Sea Lion Pokémon launched the attack with incredible dexterity, the frosty azure light solidifying into ice as it crashed down upon Leafeon.

At the same time, Infernape's already impressive flame swelled to enormous size, engulfing the half Fighting type in a smoldering wheel of fire. It launched itself forwards, the flames swirling and flickering around its agile body, and powered straight into Scizor. The half Bug type succumbed immediately and when Infernape stepped back, its prone body could be seen on the battle floor.

Leafeon got shakily to its feet as Gary withdrew his first Pokémon at the referee's command. Ash shifted nervously. He hadn't counted on Scizor going out that quickly, and now Gary was in an excellent position to choose a dominant typing.

Gary cocked his head to the side, staring at Infernape, before reaching decidedly for a Pokéball and chucking it beside Leafeon.

'Golem, go!' he shouted.

Ash groaned as the Megaton Pokémon lumbered forwards, growling stupidly and shaking its vast rocky hide. It eyed his Infernape beadily, snapping its large jaws. Gary had made another excellent choice.

The referee signaled that the match could begin again, and Misty was first off the mark. 'Dewgong, use Icy Wind on Golem!' she shouted.

'Infernape, try a Mach Punch on Leafeon!' he shouted, calling on his Pokémon's signature move.

Gary smiled lazily. 'Golem, Roll Out!'

Infernape never got the chance to strike with the glowing fist it was brandishing in Leafeon's direction. With a primal roar, Golem leapt into the air and withdrew into itself, transforming into a six hundred pound wrecking ball. It struck Infernape like a giant bullet and the Flame Pokémon let out a howl of agony, a nasty crunching sound echoing through the stadium. But Golem was not finished yet. With a surprising twist of agility Golem pivoted on a dime and whisked around to face Dewgong. As the half Ice Type was powering up a growing stream of frigid wind, ready to emit the attack from between its jaws, Golem smashed into it from behind, and the Sea Lion let out a pained cry, its lithe tail crushed by the mass of rock.

Ash's felt the blood drain from his face as Golem rolled over to its own spot on the field, its arms and legs snapping back out again. Okay, he thought firmly, trying to steady his heavy breathing. So I underestimated Gary's Pokémon _just _a little. No big deal. I've still got this. He shot Gary a sneaky glance; his opponent was staring boldly at him from the other side of the field, his eyes dark with vindictive satisfaction. It was clear he thought he had this round won. Ash gritted his teeth; he needed a new game plan.

But before any burst of inspiration hit him, Daisy struck again. Her Leafeon, which had been looking a little shaky under the influence of Muk's Poison and Dewgong's Ice, seemed to have recovered it spirits, and was eyeing Dewgong fiercely.

'Leafeon, try an Energy Ball on Dewgong!'

Leafeon sprang into the air, its teeth bared, and in front of its mouth formed a glittering green and blue sphere that pulsed and hummed with suppressed energy. With a cry the Grass Type launched the projectile at its foe.

'Dewgong, dodge it!' Misty cried anxiously.

Dewgong flicked its tail and tried to roll out of the way but out of its natural element, it was without its usually unmatchable agility. It struggled harder as Leafeon's attack drew closer but there was no avoiding the collision; the silver edged circle struck it full in the face.

'Dewgong!' Misty shouted desperately as her Pokémon slumped backwards.

'Leafeon, Giga Drain on Dewgong!' Daisy shouted relentlessly.

'Golem, Stone Edge on Dewgong!'

Gary smiled in slow satisfaction as three acid blue rings encircled Golem's vast body, the energy forming into solid rock before their very eyes. Ash's insides went cold as he realized what Gary and Daisy were up to. He recalled his last double battle with Gary, when he'd been stuck with Amy, and how his rival had concentrated on taking out Amy's Pokémon, leaving Ash to defend himself against two Pokémon at once. Clearly, the Oaks thought they could employ the same tactics on Misty. Ash's insides burned at how apparently little Gary thought of Misty, and he was determined to prove him wrong.

'Infernape, Counter Shield!' he roared.

Infernape, sensing the urgency of the situation, leapt in front of Dewgong, the flame atop its head surging outwards and engulfing it in a mighty flaming wheel. The Flame Pokémon blazed up into the air, directing jets of white hot fire to form an amber spiders web that stretched across the battlefield, shielding Dewgong entirely.

Ash felt a surge of pride as Leafeon's beams of chartreuse light struck the flaming shield with a shower of white sparks. With a resounding crash the green jets rebounded off the fiery wall and collided straight with Golem. The half Rock Type let out a pained bay as the energy was sucked out of it, but it was too late to stop its Stone Edge attack. The hail of slate gray stone passed straight through Infernape's flames, each chip glowing gold and white with the friction and heat of the fire.

Ash's stomach dropped. He might have succeeded in blocking the Giga Drain, but Infernape's fiery Counter Shield had only strengthened Golem's attack.

'Dewgong, Aurora Beam!' Misty screeched.

Ash watched in amazement as Dewgong, who had been cowering from the rush of heat, rose once again up onto its tail. From its horn burst a wave of unearthly light, hued in every color of the rainbow, that spread out to fill every gap in Infernape's white-hot defense. The rush of stones struck the Aurora Beam like pebbles against a window before falling uselessly to the floor.

Ash turned to stare at Misty with an open mouth. For her to come back with such a powerful attack, when Dewgong was so weak…it was nothing short of amazing.

Misty blushed heavily under Ash's admiring scrutiny and hastily remembering that he hated her now, Ash turned his attention back to the field.

The battle floor was a mess. Long black marks had been left by Infernape's Counter Shield and a mass of useless stones littered the center of the field. Dewgong's fins were shaking and Leafeon was charred and dusty; Ash guessed that both Daisy and Misty would try and stay out of the action for a few minutes and so preserve their Pokémon's longevity. Golem, though rattled by the impressive combination, still looked in fighting shape, as did Infernape. Ash decided that now was the best time to take out Gary's Pokémon. He'd be at only a slight Type advantage, but it was still worth a shot.

'Infernape, Close Combat on Golem!' he cried, deciding to play to Golem's weaknesses and use a Fighting Type move.

Infernape braced itself and sprang across the field towards Golem's bulk, dark energy radiating out from it as it besieged the hulking half Ground Type with a volley of kicks and punches.

'Golem, use Earthquake!'

Golem gave a hard shake and leapt into the air. Infernape was left clinging to the Megaton Pokémon's vast hide, its own attack stuttering as it tried to stop itself from falling the twenty feet to the ground. As Golem reached the peak of its trajectory Infernape managed to scramble atop of the rocky Pokemon, and Ash, who had been watching in horror, had a burst of inspiration.

'Infernape, when you get closer to the ground – jump!'

Golem rocketed towards the ground, gaining speed as it fell. Infernape was perched above Golem's head, gritting its teeth as it braced itself against the air rushing past it. And just before Golem ploughed headfirst into the stadium floor the Flame Pokémon rose to its feet, and pushing hard off its opponent's back, it shot back up into the air like a flaming arrow.

The crash that echoed through the stadium was enough to rattle the teeth of every spectator in the building. Waves of white energy radiated out from the crater where Golem had struck, powerful enough to make the ground shudder, and Ash heard Dewgong cry out as it suffered the secondary effects of the attack. But Infernape simply soared across the battlefield, gave deft twist midair and landed lightly on the ground in front of Golem, completely unharmed by the attack.

Ash resisted the urge to punch the air in victory. He'd successfully executed one of his miraculous comebacks and he wasn't about to stop now.

'Infernape, Mach Punch!' he yelled, shooting Gary a triumphant glance. His rival was too busy staring hard at the battlefield to notice.

'Golem, Tackle!' he shouted.

But Infernape's superior speed won out once again. Though it was beginning to show signs of exhaustion, Infernape managed to reach Golem before the Megaton Pokémon could power up for its Tackle. Its blinding white fist struck Golem hard across its puny little head and with a throaty roar, the hulking Pokémon sank to the floor in a dead faint.

Ash stared blankly at Golem's prone form, excitement rising up in him like fire. Infernape had beaten out Gary's first and second Pokémon, and it was still able to battle. We've got the advantage, Ash thought giddily. We actually have a shot at winning this thing.

He raised his taunting eyes towards Gary but before he could gloat over his rival's loss, a commotion on the other side of the field drew his attention.

It was clear that the two girls hadn't been able to hold off attacking each other for long, as Leafeon and Dewgong were grappling on the floor like a couple of errant children. It appeared as if Daisy had called upon some sort of physical attack, as the Verdant Pokémon was on the red side of the field, but Dewgong was having none of it, repelling the attack with fierce zeal. Ash saw Leafeon slash at Dewgong's tender underbelly with its sharp greenish claws; Dewgong gave an indignant snort and retaliated by smacking Leafeon smartly on the back of its head with its long pearly tail.

The two Pokémon separated and Leafeon backed up, limping painfully. Dewgong was also looking very battle worn; its milky fur was streaked with gray and there was a scratch on its fin, but it was still glaring furiously at its opponent.

Daisy seemed to realize that she only had one shot at defeating Misty and prepared to risk all on her final attack.

'Leafeon, Solar Beam!'

'Dewgong, Ice Shard!'

Leafeon struggled to unleash a beam of silver white energy; with its last remnants of energy, Dewgong launched a flurry of electric blue icicles. The two attacks met with a terrific crash.

Ash saw what was going to happen a split second before it did, but there was nothing he could do to stop it.

'Infernape, NO!' he screamed.

The Flame Pokémon turned and its yellow eyes widened, but it was too late. Leafeon's Solar Beam had rebounded off Dewgong's Ice Shard and jetted out sideways in an uncontrollable surge of light. It was heading straight for Infernape. Unable to dodge or repel the surprise attack that hadn't even been meant for it, Ash's Pokémon was blasted backwards, landing in a crumpled heap at its Trainer's feet. Its flame flickered feebly.

Ash felt his body go numb as he stared at his Pokémon's battered form, unable to process what had just happened. One minute he held the distinct advantage and the next it was snatched from him in a freak accident. Great, Ash thought bitterly. Just great.

He automatically raised his arm and recalled his fallen comrade, raising the Pokéball to his face.

'You…were awesome, Infernape,' he said quietly as the button on the Pokéball blinked chirpily. 'I wish you were coming with me to the final round.

Returning the Pokéball to his belt he glanced up to see both Leafeon and Golem disappear in flashes of red light; Misty was already tucking Dewgong's Pokéball back into its place. Ash stared across the field at his two opponents; Daisy's face was pinched and sour, while Gary's aloof expression didn't quite match the steely clench of his jaw. The battlefield was empty, though silvery mist still rose from the place where Leafeon and Dewgong's attacks had met.

Ash took a deep breath and turned to look at Misty. She stared steadily back, her expression perfectly composed. And it seemed to Ash that all the rage and hurt and cynicism he harbored towards her just seemed to melt away. At this moment, it didn't matter what she'd done. All that mattered was the battle – the battle he was sure she wanted to win as badly as he did. She was here with him, by his side, perhaps for the final time, and Ash was not going to let Gary steal that away from him.

Ash watched as she smiled with passion and turned her blazing eyes back to the field. Blinking a little dazedly, Ash looked back at the Pokémon perched behind him. Pikachu looked expectantly back, bouncing excitedly up and down on its heels. Ash grinned.

'You're up, buddy!' he said.

'Pika!' Pikachu cried as it bounded forwards onto the field, brandishing a fist in Gary's direction. Ash allowed himself an amused smile; at least Pikachu had its priorities right.

Gary contemplated the little electric mouse for a second, before pointedly rolling his eyes. Ash bristled. He'd known that Pikachu was an obvious choice, but it was still his strongest Pokémon; Gary wouldn't be looking so smug when Pikachu had fried his Pokémon to a crisp.

Gary selected a Pokéball and threw it out on the field.

'Nidoking, go!'

Ash could hardly keep his face blank as the huge half Poison Type emerged on the field. He hadn't seen Gary's Drill Pokémon since its loss in the Indigo League, but it was clear that since then, he'd done some serious training with it. It had grown to the size of a small elephant, muscles bulging from under its violently purple armor like a body builder. Its long, poison tipped horn glinted dangerously, as did its beady black eyes as they fixed upon Pikachu.

Ash felt the blood drain from his face. Nidoking was immune to Electric attacks.

Nidoking began rampaging around the field, bellowing and flexing its muscles, but Gary made no move to cub its aggressive behavior. He merely smiled with indulgent pride and shot Ash nasty gloating glances, as if daring him to make the first move. Ash couldn't imagine how or why Gary had kept such a powerful Pokémon under wraps for so long, but it was clear he'd kept it for the final round in hopes of facing Ash with it. Protected against Pikachu's main type of assault and heavily armored, Nidoking was a formidable foe indeed.

Ash glanced hopefully at Misty; she'd made her final selection, a Pokéball wedged comfortably in her fingers. Staring at Gary's intimidating Pokémon she seemed to steel herself and raising her hand, she made to throw the Pokéball out onto the field.

'Politoed, go!' she shouted.

But before the tool could part with her nervous grip, there was a flash of light that seemed to come from Misty herself. Both she and Ash jumped backwards, alarmed, and as the light dissipated there was a heavy 'thump' from somewhere in front of them. Ash looked up quickly, already fearing the worst.

'Psy?'

Ash felt his stomach drop out of his body. He could hardly comprehend it – an entire day's work and hope had just vanished before his very eyes, right as Psyduck had popped from its Pokéball. This was it. They didn't have a chance now.

He watched with growing horror as Pikachu hurried over to its companion, hauling the struggling Duck Pokémon to its feet and hastily brushing the dust from its rubbery yellow skin. Gary's never going to let me forget this one, Ash thought hollowly.

Ash glanced up at his archrival and was greeted with a very unpleasant sight. Gary was doubled over, openly jeering as he pointed disdainfully at Psyduck, and Daisy didn't look much better. Ash's eyes strayed to Misty. Her face, neck and ears were all a flaming shade of crimson, but she held her head high, staring boldly into the Oak's laughing faces with an expression that would have left a lesser man than Gary running for his life.

Ash felt a surge of white hot anger as he looked back at his hated opponent. It made him furious that Gary would laugh at Psyduck so openly; after traveling through Kanto, Johto and the Orange Islands with the thing, Ash held no small affection for the dimwitted duck, despite its unfortunate habit of appearing on battle fields at the most inopportune times. But it was more than that. It infuriated Ash beyond reason that Gary would treat his Misty like that – and in front of the whole school. To mock your girlfriend's Pokémon, especially before a match…Ash shook his head, wondering yet again what possessed her to leave him for someone so downright cruel.

And so Ash made, right then and there, one of his famously impulsive decisions. He would win this match – not for himself, but for Misty, so that her new boyfriend would give her the respect she deserved. Ash realized that he no longer cared how she'd treated him. All he cared about was her happiness. That was how much he loved her. And if her choice was to be with Gary, then he'd do his level best to make it work for her, even if it killed him.

He turned to her, his new resolution wavering as he remembered the scene in the dining hall, when Gary had told him what she'd done, but he steeled himself and spoke.

'You ready, Misty?' he said bravely, his voice trembling.

Misty turned amazed eyes to him, and Ash could see the humiliated tears struggling to break free. But she smiled that bold, daring smile, replying to him in kind.

'Ready, Ash.'

Ash turned back to the field, his heart throbbing; Daisy's was eyeballing him furiously, her expression growing sourer by the minute. She threw Misty a very nasty smile as she withdrew a Pokéball and tossed it carefully onto the field.

'Golduck, go!' she called in her clear, silvery voice.

Daisy's fully evolved Duck Pokémon broke free of its Pokéball, performing a graceful twist before landing lightly on its feet. It caught sight of Psyduck, who had fixed it with its usual vacant stare, and burst out laughing. Ash sighed. He was fully aware that Golduck was Misty's favorite Pokémon of all time, but he was pretty certain she wouldn't be too pleased to see this one.

Something's up here, Ash thought as he saw Daisy shoot Misty a nasty, mocking glance. It seemed strange that Daisy had saved her Golduck for last, especially when Gary had obviously known that he would use his Pikachu – after all, Golduck was weak to Electric Types. Daisy had clearly made the choice with Misty in mind…but she couldn't have known that Psyduck would appear…and all Water Types were weak to other Water Types…

Then suddenly it hit him. Misty was a Water Trainer. Golduck was a Water Type – and a strong one at that. Daisy was trying to beat Misty at her own game, and prove she could train a better Water Pokémon. She must have heard about Misty's Psyduck, and decided to use her fully evolved Golduck to make her point. It was by sheer luck that she was _facing _Psyduck now.

Either way, it looked like she was going to be proved right.

Ash repressed a snarl; here was another reason to pound both Oaks into the dust. He wasn't going to let spoiled, selfish Daisy tarnish Misty's reputation, both as a Water Expert and a Water Gym Leader. But Misty didn't need a strong Pokémon to win a match. All she needed was her skill, guts and determination, and that was what made her better.

The referee stepped forwards, signaling that the final round could begin.

'Pikachu, Thundershock on Golduck!' Ash cried immediately, thinking it wouldn't hurt to weaken Golduck a little.

'Psyduck, Water Gun on Nidoking!' Misty cried.

With a high pitched war cry, Pikachu leapt forward, discharging a sizzling bolt of electricity. Psyduck hadn't moved.

'Golduck, Disable,' Daisy called languidly.

Golduck cocked its head to the side, its sharp red eyes glowing an eerie blue. It raised its two webbed hands and burst of acid blue smoke burst out from between its fingers, rushing across the field and engulfing both Pikachu and Psyduck. Pikachu's attack was deflected, almost scorching the referee and not even coming close to touching Golduck.

'Pi!' Pikachu cried as the paralyzing attack struck hard, its limbs stiffening painfully and leaving it frozen in place. Psyduck just keeled over backwards, its eyes widening as it clutched its head even tighter.

'Nidoking, use Thrash!' Gary shouted.

With a primal roar Nidoking sprang forward, baring its long, dangerous looking fangs. It collided heavily with Pikachu, slashing the little Electric Type across the face with an iron fist. As Pikachu slumped to the floor Nidoking turned on Psyduck, and with one vast sweep of its thick tail the Water Type went soaring backwards, landing in a fluffy heap.

But the Slash attack had freed Pikachu from the effects of the Disable and shaking off the dirt, the Mouse Pokémon leapt back to its feet.

'Pikachu, try using your Agility on Golduck!' Ash cried.

'Psyduck, get up!'

'Pi…Pi…Pi…' Pikachu panted, sprinting around the field so fast it appeared to teleport, disappearing and reappearing in a ring around Golduck.

'Golduck, retaliate with Fury Swipes!'

Golduck shook its head, dizzy from following Pikachu's progress, and began making wild slashing movements with its razor sharp claws. It took several attempts for the attack to meet its target but when it did, Pikachu was left with three burning welts across its little furry face.

'Pikachu!' Ash cried in terror.

'Nidoking, Megahorn on Pikachu!' Gary roared.

'Get _up _Psyduck!' Misty howled.

As Nidoking's horn began to glow, Psyduck struggled to its feet, swaying a little from the force of the attack. Ash felt a surge of relief. The reality of the match was starting to kick in; however good his intentions, he knew he couldn't win alone. Pikachu needed Psyduck's help.

'Psyduck, Water Gun on Nidoking!' Misty shouted, pointing dramatically.

Psyduck turned and looked blankly at its Trainer, tilting its head to the side in confusion.

'Psy…duck?'

'Psyduck, Water Gun on Nidoking! NOW!'

Psyduck just blinked dimly, staring at Misty. Nidoking began stomping its feet, preparing to charge at Pikachu, who was still dancing out of reach of Golduck's continuing Fury Swipes. Ash gritted his teeth; Nidoking could not be allowed to strike. If Pikachu took any more serious damage it was going to be out of the match, and that would mean the match was over.

Misty seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Ash and was clearly steeling herself to do something desperate.

'WATER GUN THAT NIDOKING OR YOU'LL GET EXTRA SWIMMING LESSONS FOR A MONTH!' she hollered, balling her hands up into fists.

'PSY!' Psyduck squeaked in terror, waddling quickly forwards and unleashing a surprisingly powerful jet of water over Nidoking. The Megahorn Pokémon had been just about to gore Pikachu into pieces; instead it threw its head back, bellowing with pain. Ash breathed a sigh of relief.

'Again, Psyduck!' Misty cried, hardly believing what she was seeing.

Psyduck seemed just as surprised as its trainer over the strength of its attack, and actually managed to produce a second stream of water. Nidoking roared again as the jet hit it right in the face. Shaking off the loose droplets to reveal a murderous expression, Nidoking charged across the field like a raging bull, snarling in rage.

'PSY-Y-Y-Y-Y!' Psyduck bawled as it sprinted away as fast as its chubby little legs could carry it weaving all over the field with the enraged Nidoking hot on its tail.

'Psyduck!' Misty gasped anxiously, clearly worried that her Pokémon was going to end up sliced and diced.

'Pikachu, use Volt Tackle on Golduck and then Iron Tail on Nidoking!'

Misty turned in astonishment as she heard Ash's ambitious command, but Pikachu didn't seem to think anything of it. It had been locked in a risky battle of speed and wits with Golduck, trying to avoid its opponent's dangerous claws, but with one last burst of Agility, Pikachu drew back far enough to charge up for the Volt Tackle. Its body faded to an eerie silhouette of black and white as the force field of golden energy surrounded it, and within seconds it had overcome the tired Golduck.

But Pikachu didn't stop there. Whipping around it leapt into the air, its lightening shaped tale glowing with suppressed energy, and with a twist it came down hard upon Nidoking.

Pikachu landed lightly at Ash's feet, but he was distressed to see that it was panting hard. He kept his face stony as he frantically tried to weight how much energy it had left. He glanced up at Misty; she was staring from him to Pikachu, her expression terrified. She snapped her gaze back to the field.

'Psyduck, Bubblebeam!' she shouted harshly.

But Psyduck was still recovering from the emotionally scarring effects of Nidoking's attempt on its life, and didn't even seem to hear its Trainer's commands.

'Psyduck, Bubblebeam, come on!' Misty yelled. Psyduck turned to look at her, its expression hazy, before turning back to the battlefield and opening its bill –

Golduck, appeared out of nowhere, moving like a streak of light towards Psyduck.

'Zen Headbutt, Golduck!' Daisy cried, her expression making it clear that she thought it was all over for Psyduck.

Misty's eyes widened. 'No – no, Psyduck, watch out!' she cried.

Golduck struck Psyduck head on, the spikes atop its head glowing blue as it collided heavily with its pre evolution. Psyduck was thrown backwards, landing flat on its back in the corner of the field.

Ash felt like his stomach had been filled with lead. Psyduck was struggling weakly to get to its feet, and Pikachu didn't seem any closer to recovering. He didn't know what to do.

Misty turned to him, her face crumpling. 'It's no good,' she said desperately, her voice cracking as she reached out and touched his arm. 'He can't do it. It's all my fault, I lost this for you and I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…'

She rambled on, but Ash was barely listening; he could do nothing but stare as the tears began to well in her eyes again. It was such an alien sight, Misty so crushed, so vulnerable. She was usually utterly untouchable, her indomitable will and scorn for any sort of weakness making such shows of public emotion repulsive to her. But he'd never seen her give up like this before. She seemed so…broken. Like this was not the only reason she was crying.

A strange ringing noise echoed in Ash's ears. He'd said he was going to win this for her, and if Misty had taught him one thing in their eight years of friendship, it was never give up. Never let the odds beat you. Never admit defeat when you're still able to fight.

Ash grabbed Misty's wrist and jerked her so close their noses were almost touching.

'Stop it Misty,' he said harshly, his voice low and rough. Misty's monologue stuttered and died, her eyes widening. 'What's gotten into you, girl?'

Misty's mouth opened, and then closed, and then opened again, but she seemed to have lost the power of speech.

'We haven't even lost yet, and - '

'Yes we have!' she cut in shrilly, her voice growing hysterical. 'We can't win now! It's all my fault, I should have - '

Ash let out a growl, jerking his other hand out and placing his index finger over her lips. '_No,_' he repeated, his eyes were boring into her. 'It's not over, so don't you go giving up on me! We're going to win this, you hear?' He gave her arm a little shake. 'Do you?'

'But - '

'_Trust _me, okay?'

Misty let out a high pitched squeak and nodded. Ash nodded curtly in response and released her, his heart pounding so hard he was sure it was going to burst out of his chest. He turned back to the field.

'Pikachu, you know what to do.'

Pikachu took a deep breath and with an apologetic glance at Misty, it bounded over to its battling companion. Psyduck had managed to haul itself to its feet and was now tottering around, its claws digging into its soft skin as it gripped its head tightly.

'Pika Pika,' Pikachu said mournfully, patting Psyduck on the shoulder. Then it stepped backwards, its furry face set. With a sharp cry, the little Electric Type sprang high into the air, gave a neat little flip - and landed heavily on top of Psyduck.

'PSY-Y-Y-Y!' Psyduck screamed, looking at Pikachu with horror as it stumbled backwards.

'Ash!' Misty cried, immediately forgetting her embarrassment as she whacked him on the arm. 'That's my Pokémon you're attacking, idiot!'

Ash ignored her. 'Again, Pikachu!' he commanded.

The crowd were on their feet, hollering a torrent of abuse as Pikachu came down hard upon Psyduck once more. The referee was staring uncertainly from Ash to Misty, as if he wasn't sure he could disqualify the whole team when one partner randomly attacked the other. Daisy was pale, horrified that her boyfriend had apparently lost his mind – what was the good of dating Ash Ketchum, School Champion, if he lost a final round match because he couldn't remember which Pokémon to attack?

Gary, however, looked like Christmas had come early.

'Your little rat's as stupid as you are!' he trumpeted above the din of the crowd, grinning with venomous triumph. 'Thanks for helping me finish off that pathetic excuse for a Pokémon, Ashy Boy – Nidoking, Tackle that stupid duck!'

Ash's insides clenched, the blood pounding in his head as adrenaline zinged through his veins like fire, but his eyes never left Psyduck. If it was hit now…Nidoking was charging closer and closer…please work, he prayed desperately, please, please work…

Psyduck's body went rigid, its eyes glowing a dangerous acidic purple,

Misty let out a gasp. 'Oh!' she cried, flushing deeply at her own apparent short sightedness.

'Now!' Ash yelled.

'Psyduck, Confusion!' Misty hollered.

Nidoking raised a chunky iron fist, its face grinning with a sadistic smirk, but the attack never came. A beam of purple light burst violently from Psyduck's eyes, powerful enough to send the enormous reptilian beast soaring backwards.

Daisy's nostril's flared. 'Golduck, Hydro Pump!' she shouted angrily.

Psyduck turned its attention to its evolved form as Golduck threw its head back and opened its sharp yellow beak, its red eyes glinting with fury. But then something strange happened. Instead of unleashing the attack that surely would have meant the end of Psyduck, it abruptly snapped its bill shut again, its head slumping down onto its chest. Its body began to glow an eerie purple that clashed with its azure skin.

'Come _on _Golduck, Hydro Pump!' Daisy shrieked. Golduck slowly raised its head; its eyes were unfocused and blank.

'Shake it off Nidoking and use Earth Power!' Gary shouted, looking disturbed.

Nidoking clambered to its feet, its outline flickering with a bright fuchsia light and its expression mirroring that of its partner. It turned slowly towards Golduck – and then, with an ugly roar, struck the ground with its chubby fist, sending golden cracks glowing with energy towards it. The attack struck Golduck and the Duck Pokémon screamed in agony.

'No, Nidoking, _what are you doing?' _Gary howled. 'Shake it off, shake it off!'

Golduck sprang into the air, its eyes boring into Nidoking like lasers. With a wave of its webbed hands it opened its beak and jetted a torrent of pulsing water over its partner. Nidoking attempted to lumber out of the way, but it wasn't quick enough, and received a heavy dousing. Water dripped into every crevice of its armor, streaming down its horn and into its ears.

Ash allowed himself a grin; so far, everything had worked out exactly as he'd hoped. Gary and Daisy were playing into their hands. He turned and looked at Misty; she was looking back, her blue eyes blazing. She nodded firmly to show that she understood and he nodded back, grinning with glee. They both turned back to the field, preparing for the last decisive blow.

'Psyduck, switch to Psychic and lift them both up into the air!'

The dreamy expressions began to fade from Nidoking and Golduck's faces and they stared at each other in surprise, clearly confused at how they'd ended up facing each other instead of the opposition, but their problems weren't over yet. The violet energy surrounding them faded to a dusky pink, and slowly but surely, they rose high into the air. Golduck's arms windmilled wildly and Nidoking struggled and twisted, but neither had a hope of freeing themselves from the attack. On the ground, Daisy and Gary were loosing their heads, pointing and shouting random instructions, but their attempts were useless. Their Pokémon were Psyduck's prisoners.

Ash turned to his little Pokémon. 'Pikachu…you know what to do.'

'Pika pika!' Pikachu cried, leaping forwards. Summoning the last of its energy, it leapt high into the air and unleashed a bolt of electricity so powerful it lit up the stadium like a Christmas tree. The electric shock combined with Psyduck's Psychic and surrounded Golduck and Nidoking in a bubble of throbbing electric current. Not even Nidoking's type advantage could save it; parted from the ground that allowed it to discharge electric currents and soaked with water, it was no stronger against electricity than Golduck was.

The two Pokémon went tumbling back to earth in a blackened, smoking ball, and landed with a terrific crash at the feet of their dumbstruck Trainers.

'B-both green team Pokémon are out of the match,' the referee announced to the stunned silent stadium. 'The red team win!'

The entire place erupted. Those who had been criticizing Ash the loudest just moments ago were now singing his praises, claiming they'd suspected his strategy all along. Even those who had predicted the Oaks to win were cheering; Gary's reign of terror was over, and Ash Ketchum was right back where he belonged – the top spot.

Ash stared up at the crowds screaming his name, but he could hardly hear them; the blood was still throbbing in his head. He alone knew just how close they'd come to losing, and the memory of the fear and despair he'd experienced was still too close to forget. But that didn't matter now. Nothing about the match mattered, except that they'd won.

Ash let out a triumphant whoop and punched the air with his fist, his face shining with triumph. He let the admiring shouts drench him like a waterfall, soaking up the noise which confirmed his success. I did it, he thought giddily. I _did _it!

He looked across the field, where Gary was recalling his charred Nidoking. Daisy had already collected Golduck and looked as if she wished the ground would open up and swallow her. But Ash, as usual, wasn't the slightest interested in Daisy. He stared hard at his oldest and fiercest rival, on whose face was written nothing but bitter disappointment and sour resentfulness, and he felt the slightest flicker of pity that dampened his triumph just a little. He knew that a single mistake during the match, and he could have been in Gary's shoes right now. And perhaps it was easy for him, now that he'd won, but Ash resolved to be gracious to Gary. He wanted to be the bigger man.

Well, Ash thought with enormous amusement, maybe I'll pay him back _just _a little…

Ash's musings were interrupted by an odd sniffling sound and his head snapped sideways. He'd forgotten about Misty. She was staring at him, her eyes watery, but she was smiling more beautifully than Ash had ever seen. His heart ached in his chest and for a moment, he made to sweep her up into his arms and clutch her to him. He wanted to tell her that she'd been wonderful and that he loved her, and that he'd never let anything come between them ever again.

But then he remembered. And despite his determination to win the match for her, and love her no matter what she did, he knew he couldn't do it. It had been her choice to leave him. He could be her friend again, painful as it was, but he had to respect her, and honor her decisions.

So he offered her a crooked, friendly grin that he hoped hid his tumult of emotions, and raised a trembling hand for her to shake.

'Congratulations, Misty, you did great,' he mumbled.

Misty's expression crumpled and her tears began to fall in earnest, but she managed to smile. Ash couldn't understand it.

'Congratulations, Ash.'

* * *

Owari!!! So, there you have it – Ash and Misty bonded during the match, stomped all over Gary and Daisy and are now the new school Champions. What more could you ask for? Umm…perhaps to find out what happens next? What exactly is going down between Ash and Misty? Are May, Drew, Dawn and Paul going to get in a public smackdown over the results of their match? And will Gary get yet another dose of humiliation like we ALL want him to? Wait and see! You'll be pleased to hear that I've already started the next chapter, and it's gonna be FABULOUS ;)

I received a grand total of thirty one reviews for the last chapter…y'all are EPIC!!! I would love to thank each and every one of you but I am just dying to post this, so just know I love you all!!!

Until next time :)


	22. I Don't Dance

Hey people! Well, bet you didn't expect a chapter so soon, after my recent track record of horribly long delays – but the truth is, not even I expected this to get to you so quickly. The real reason that you can enjoy this now is that I originally hoped to squeeze the entire dance into one chapter. Honestly, I really should know my own style better than that by now…anyway, I really love this chapter, and I hope you do too. So…enjoy!

This chapter is dedicated to **HighQueen. **She unknowingly gave me a lot of the inspiration I needed for this chapter, i.e. Misty's costume, through her story _Sensational _and the fanart that went along with it. I do not own Misty's costume…though I'm not sure you can own things like that. Anyway, you rock my dear!

Chapter Twenty Two: I Don't Dance

'Make way for Pokémon High's new Champion!'

'Yeah, seriously important Trainer coming through…'

'Move it squirt, Misty has to get ready! Don't make her set her Gyarados on you - it'd eat that Jigglypuff of yours for breakfast!'

Misty bit her lip, trying to stifle a giggle as a group of freshmen scuttled quickly out of their way. 'Will you two shut up?' she hissed half heartedly at May and Dawn, who were walking in front of her like a guard of honor.

May turned and grinned as a couple of sophomores hastily parted to let them through. 'You deserve it, Misty! First female Champion in Pokémon High's history - you're a feminist pioneer!'

'History?' Misty snorted. 'You mean the last three months?'

Dawn linked her arm with Misty's, casually shoving a stray freshman out of the way. 'Ahh, you know you love it, Misty!' she laughed.

Misty just shook her head, but privately she had to agree. Ever since she'd set foot in the Indigo Dormitory she'd had people coming up to congratulate her, patting her on the back and thanking her for making such fools of Daisy and Gary. Of course, there were a few exceptions to this – several members of Gary's fan club had started following her up the stairs, talking loudly about how ugly she was and trying to trip her up at every opportunity. But after May and Dawn had decked a couple of them they backed off, retreating to a safe distance and shooting her looks that promised death and destruction for humiliating their idol.

Dawn began to tug on Misty's arm. 'Come on Misty, would you hurry up already? We have some serious work to do this afternoon! There's only five hours til the dance begins!'

Misty immediately began to drag her feet. 'But I don't _want_ to get ready,' she wailed. 'I don't want to go at all! I have to go with _Gary_, remember? After this afternoon, he'll probably spend the whole evening trying to slip arsenic into my drink!'

'Gary's not the only boy who's going to be there, you know,' May said patiently as she opened the door to Room 15 and with Dawn's help, pushed Misty inside.

'You agreed to this, so don't you go backing out now!' Dawn said as she slammed the door behind her. 'Shower, now!'

'I agreed to get ready here cause it's a two hour round trip back to the Gym!' Misty argued.

'And that means you agreed,' May said smartly, as if this closed the subject, and she and Dawn began shoving Misty towards the en suite. 'We can do this the easy way or the hard way Misty, but you're going to look gorgeous tonight whether you like it or not!'

Misty let out a groan. 'Okay, okay, fine!' she conceded reluctantly, snatching the towel offered to her and disappearing into the bathroom.

'Make sure you do your legs!' Dawn yelled through the door.

'Thanks for that, Dawn,' Misty replied through gritted teeth as she hastily turned on the water.

Twenty minutes later she emerged from the en suite, half heartedly rubbing her tangled, wet hair. May and Dawn were waiting for her, though they'd clearly been hard at work – Dawn's desk now resembled a beauty parlor, cleared of its clutter and laden with lots of bottles of potion, about ten different make up palettes and some dangerous looking hair tools. Cheery pop music played in the background and the three skimpy costumes had already been laid out on Dawn's bed.

'Come on Misty, we don't have all day,' May said impatiently, seizing her older friend by the arm and shoving her down into a chair.

'What are you guys doing?' Misty protested in alarm as Dawn bore down upon her with a manic expression, brandishing a hairdryer in one hand and a comb in the other. 'You have to get ready too! You don't have time to – Dawn, get off me! You'll waste all your time getting me ready and then you won't be ready yourselves!'

'Don't be silly, Misty,' May said briskly, waving a curling iron around like a fencing foil. 'We'll be ready as well, don't worry.'

'But I've already told you, I don't even care how I look this evening,' Misty complained, wincing as Dawn began raking her scalp with the comb. 'It's not like I have anyone to impress!'

'Oh, but you _will,_' Dawn replied with a wink at May.

'_What?_' Misty gasped, clutching the arms of the chair. 'What's that supposed to mean? You two aren't planning anything, are you?'

'Don't you worry about it, Misty – just concentrate on looking beautiful,' May said, patting Misty's shoulder consolingly.

'But - ' Misty's furious protest was drowned out as Dawn flicked on the hair dryer.

'Can't hear you!' the Coordinator yelled gaily as she began attacking Misty's long, fiery hair with the deafening appliance.

Four and a half hours, three hairstylings and makeup sessions, two Misty temper tantrums and a round of pizza and lemonade later, Misty was forced to eat her own words. The three girls stood side by side, staring at their reflections in the full length mirror.

Misty's amber hair was a cloud of perfect pin curls, tumbling down her back in a fiery cascade, veins of silver glitter running through it like metallic ore. Her pale skin was flawless, set off with smoky silver eyeshadow, dramatically curling liquid liner and sparkling glitter dusted along her cheekbones.

Her costume was a backless cerulean bodice, the wavy block of white around the bottom melting upwards into a river of white bubbles that flowed around her waist. A long, crooked black tail sprouted from the fabric just below the small of her back, bearing a large blue bobble on the end of it like a Christmas tree decoration, and her arms were concealed by a pair of sleek blue gloves that reached past her elbows. On her feet she wore a pair of high heeled knee length blue boots. Atop her head was a pair of tall blue ears lined with pale pink, attached to her head by a thin blue band; the finishing touch to the perfect costume.

'I don't even have an Azumarrill,' Misty said half heartedly. 'Guess that means I can't go, huh?'

'In your dreams, Misty,' Dawn replied sardonically. 'You're just lucky I didn't make you an Umbreon costume, cause I totally would have made you wear it.' She turned and surveyed her friend approvingly. 'I was going to make you a Pikachu outfit, but I thought that might have been too obvious…'

Misty made an outraged noise, but May interrupted her.

'You think?' she squeaked, tugging frantically at the bottom of her bodice. She was clearly having second thoughts about her costume, staring into the mirror with a terrified expression. 'So why is it not too obvious to dress me up as a _Roserade_?'

Dawn shrugged vaguely, absorbed in studying her own appearance. 'I dunno,' she said, fixing her long yellow glove.

'I didn't know Paul had a Magmortar, Dawn,' Misty commented.

'Yeah, he does – and it was the only one of his Pokémon that he uses regularly that made a good costume. Ursaring would have been plain boring, Weavile was too complicated and there was no _way_ I was going to pin a tree to my head and go as Torterra.'

There was an indignant squeak from the pile of pillows on Dawn's bed, and the Coordinator lowered her voice, leaning closer to her friends.

'Piplup's still mad at me,' she whispered confidentially. 'I tried to explain that I was going as one of Paul's Pokémon and that beaks just aren't a sexy look on humans anyway, but it still thinks I would have looked better as a Piplup.'

May suppressed a giggle. 'I think a beak would have looked good on you, Dawn – y'know, cover that ugly face and all – '

Dawn let out an indignant squawk and delivered a swift blow to the back of May's head, but she was grinning.

'Can it, May, you know you love me…oh, and can you let Blaziken out? It has actual hands, so it might be able to hold a camera…'

'We're taking _pictures_?' May screeched.

'Yes, and I'm going to post them _all _over the internet so everyone will remember the night you confessed your undying love for Drew...May? Hiding in the bathroom won't save you, you know…'

* * *

'Ashton Satoshi Ketchum, I did not raise you to be late for your first date.'

Ash jumped, almost spilling his bag of chips as he turned around. His mother was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, wearing rubber gloves that were still covered in soap and a frown that Ash knew all too well.

'It's not a date,' he muttered half heartedly, taking a swig from his soda can and turning back to the television screen, where Cynthia's Garchomp had Koga's Venomoth in a headlock.

Delia's expression softened and she came and sat down beside her son, pressing her hand to his shoulder.

'What's wrong, Ashy?' she asked quietly.

'Nothing,' Ash grunted, still staring at the screen.

'Ash…'

'Nothing, Mom,' Ash repeated sharply, getting quickly to his feet. He recognized the signs and there was no way he had the patience for a "talk" with his mother right now. He sighed, seeing her crestfallen expression. 'I have to be at the Oaks in half an hour – can't be late, can I Mom?' he said with false cheeriness.

'Half an hour?' Delia said, her concern quickly giving way to alarm as she glanced up at the clock. 'Oh my goodness Ashy, you'd better hurry up, you still need to…'

Nodding in agreement to whatever she was saying, Ash took the opportunity to back quietly from the room and hurry upstairs.

Once safely in his room, Ash locked his door and threw himself down on the bed. His leg kept twitching nervously. At this rate he was going to be hopelessly late – he hadn't even been in the shower yet, and the package from Dawn and May still lay unopened on the floor – but he just couldn't bring himself to care.

Ash was a mess. His euphoria at finally beating Gary and defending his Champion title had been enough to distract him when he was still at school, and everywhere he went there were people congratulating him on his superb performance. Even now he couldn't resist a grin as he remembered Gary's expression when they'd met on the field after the match. Ash hadn't had to say a thing; his performance had done the talking for him.

His happiness had only increased when Drew and Paul tackled him on his way out of the stadium. Paul punched him on the arm, smiling broadly, which was his version of overflowing happiness; Drew grabbed Ash round the neck and lifted his arm high into the air, hollering in excitement and shouting rude things about Gary so the whole hallway could hear.

But his buoyant mood had worn off as soon as he'd gotten home. He diverted himself for a while by giving his mother a blow by blow account of the match, but when she shrieked for joy and hurried off the make his favorite meal in celebration, he was left alone.

He endured his mother's fussing all through dinner as he forced down one of the hamburgers she'd so lovingly made, trying to appear excited about the evening ahead. He still felt guilty for not telling her the real reason he was taking Daisy, especially since her disapproval of the oldest Oak sibling was almost embarrassingly obvious. But he'd made the decision not to tell her about Misty and that wasn't going to change now. Ash had never really shared with his ex-best friend just how much she meant to his daughterless mother; Ash knew Delia would be devastated if she found out about the redhead's apparent abandonment of them both.

Once the meal was over, there was nothing left to do but get ready to leave, a prospect he found himself utterly unequal to. Despite his mother's constant warnings that if he didn't get in the shower now he wouldn't be ready in time, he simply wandered into the family room, plonked down on the couch and turned on the TV, determined to drown out his own thoughts.

Ash sighed heavily, staring up at his blank ceiling. He needed to man up. Nobody had forced him into going with Daisy. That was his fault. If he hadn't been so keen to get back at Misty, he would have been free to spend the evening at home, happily miserable. He was the one who'd asked her, so he was just going to have to deal with it.

But it wasn't Daisy he was so worried about. It was Misty. After their battle together… he couldn't quite describe it, even to himself, but he knew his feelings towards her had changed. Or perhaps they hadn't changed at all. Perhaps they had simply gone back to the way they used to be – or the way they'd been all along. Either way, he knew he was still in love with her, and though he might not have forgiven her for what she'd done, much of the fury he'd cherished for the last week had dissipated. Only the hurt was left. And that was just the problem. He wasn't sure he was going to be able to stand seeing her tonight with someone else.

With a groan Ash hauled himself off the bed and dragged himself off to the shower. Five minutes later he was back again, his wet hair dripping all over the place as he reluctantly opening the bag Dawn had presented him with that morning. The costume looked much the same as it had the last time he'd worn it, but on closer inspection he could see where it had been skillfully let out and extended to fit his much larger frame. He felt a rush of gratitude to his two female friends for their kindness, though as he gingerly put on the gray pants, blue doublet and long navy cloak, he hoped against hope he wasn't going to look like a complete idiot. He figured that most of the other guys would be going as something simple; trust May and Dawn to choose something so over the top.

When he was ready he studied himself in the mirror, remembering the adventure that had brought him this outfit, and the things he'd seen along the way. The thought gave him confidence, and with a shaky smile he headed downstairs. His mother was waiting for him, Pikachu lodged firmly in her arms. The little electric mouse had agreed to stay with her for the evening.

'Oh Ashy, you look so _handsome_,' she gushed, snapping wildly with her digital camera.

'Err…thanks,' Ash mumbled, taking the keys she offered him. Delia had agreed to let him use her new car for the evening, though she'd been careful to describe exactly what he would suffer if he didn't bring it back unscathed.

'You have fun, and remember to be a gentleman to Daisy, you hear?' she said, and though she was busy wiping tears from her eyes, Ash didn't miss the way she said Daisy's name.

'Sure,' Ash replied tonelessly, trying to smile for her benefit. 'I'll see you later Mom, have a nice time with Pikachu!'

And with that, he turned and headed out the door, the false grin disappearing immediately.

* * *

It was meant to be a dorm room, but it looked more like a bomb had exploded in an electronics store. Two beds stood against opposite walls, their covers lying in messy heaps; the floor was littered with candy wrappers and empty soda bottles. Clothes and shoes were spilling out of the walk in closet, and a stray T-shirt had somehow come to rest atop the expensive looking home entertainment system squashed in the corner. On both desks there was a distinct absence of school books, the surfaces cluttered with stacks of CDs, DVDs and a flashy stereo. But the bathroom was the worst; it looked like it had been turned into an in-house laboratory, devoted to the study of how best to grow mould.

Paul was standing in front of a dusty mirror, his anxious expression reflected in the glass as he fiddled with his hair. Contrary to his usual style he'd slicked it suavely back with just a little too much gel, and he was starting to wonder whether a quick shower was in order. Then the bathroom door slammed open and Drew sauntered out. Paul turned immediately away from the mirror, pretending to straighten his jacket, his usual aloof expression firmly back in place.

'Well?' the Coordinator asked, giving a theatrical twist and striking a pose. 'What do you think?' His tone implied that the answer should be obvious.

Paul surveyed his outfit with a skeptical expression, and then snorted. 'Drew, are you serious? You're going after the girl of your dreams dressed as Robin freaking _Hood_?

Drew didn't seem in the least bit discomposed by his friend's apparent lack of faith in his attire so busy was he pushing past Paul to get to the mirror. 'Yes, I am,' he said matter-of-factly.

'But you're wearing, y'know…tights! And a _skirt_!'

'It's not a skirt, it's a tunic, idiot,' Drew retorted smartly, staring into the glass before smiling with satisfaction and turning back to his friend. 'I am not just wearing tights, I am pulling tights off, a feat only me and my fellow superheros are capable of.'

'And how is that ridiculous get up going to help you sweep May off her feet? She'll probably mistake you for a girl or something!'

Drew chuckled superiorly. 'Keep up, Paul - chicks totally dig Robin Hood! Haven't you seen the movies?'

'Did you just say chicks _dig _Robin Hood? How old are you, eight?'

'You're just jealous of my dashing good looks and sparkling personality,' Drew sniffed, straightening his belt jauntily. 'And you're one to talk – who the heck are you? James Bond or something?'

'No,' Paul shot back sharply, though his cheeks began to pinken. 'I'm a bodyguard.'

'A bodyguard,' Drew stated cynically, eyeing Paul's expensively cut suit. 'Not an internationally womanizing man of mystery who likes his cocktails shaken not stirred?'

'_No_,' Paul insisted, obviously attempting to keep his temper despite his rising flush. 'A bodyguard. I've got a gun, see?'

'Oh, and James Bond definitely doesn't have one of those,' Drew replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he rolled his eyes. 'Dude, James Bond? Seriously?'

Paul tossed his head, averting his eyes from Drew's. 'I told you, dimwit, I'm not James Bond!' he snapped.

'Uh-huh. Then why is there a badge sticking out of your pocket labeled "007"?'

Paul flushed crimson and immediately began digging around for his pockets, attempting to locate the incriminating item. 'This was the only suit the party shop had!' he muttered in a vain attempt to salvage his pride. 'I had to take it! Wait…I can't find a badge…' He turned his dangerous black eyes back towards his emerald clad friend, who was snickering rather irritatingly.

'Got ya!' Drew smirked. 'Now I know what ickle Pauly dreams about…saving blue haired damsels in distress from mean, diamond smuggling drug lords and using cool gadgets to - ouch! Hey, you messed up my hat, idiot!'

Paul snorted contemptuously, his desire to kill and eat Drew only mildly subsiding, and with the blush still evident on his cheeks he turned and stalked with dignity out of the dormitory door. Drew was left rubbing his injured cranium.

'Some people just can't take a joke,' he muttered, slouching after his friend.

Drew caught up with Paul down the hallway and after solemnly swearing to keep the James Bond thing quiet (under threat of having his precious feather tipped hat crushed under Paul's highly polished shoe) they made their way out of Silver Hall and across the grounds towards the school building.

The teachers had been solely responsible for the planning and organizing of the dance and even Drew and Paul had to admit that they had done an amazing job. The Appeal Complex had been transformed. Smaller than the Battle Complex, it was already ideally suited for hosting a dance with its lavish décor and shiny battle floors. But now gilded white pillars lined the walls, gold streamers looped between, with gold and white balloons pinned in clusters to the walls. Masses of gold stars and strings of fairy lights hung from the ceiling, illuminated with flashing disco lights, and a hired DJ was tucked in a corner, fiddling with his mix deck as he pumped out music through a couple of massive speakers. A long table of refreshments lined a far wall. The place was already milling with people, some standing in hesitant groups on the sidelines watching the bolder ones break it down on the dance floor.

'What do we do now?' Drew yelled in Paul's ear.

Paul shrugged helplessly. 'I guess we wait it out,' he shouted back, edging behind Drew as he caught sight of a junior class girl eyeing him seductively. 'We can't do anything until everybody gets here!'

Drew nodded. 'Let's, er…get something to drink,' he suggested wisely, noticing that Paul's single admirer had swelled to a group of ten at least, all of whom were staring hungrily at the two boys. 'Let's just hope May and Dawn get here soon, we need to check in with them before we can start anything!'

'After today, I'll be surprised if they go anywhere near us!' Paul shot back grimly.

Drew groaned, pulling his had down over his eyes. 'Ugh, _don't _remind me, I still feel like jumping off a cliff every time I think about it…'

The two boys sloped off towards the food, but they had seriously underestimated their admirers; as it turned out, a mere trip across the room hadn't been nearly enough to deter them. They were now clustered at the end of the refreshment table and giggling at the boys' every move. Drew was irritated; he couldn't even enjoy his fifth cupcake in peace, it was so unnerving having so many pairs of admiring eyes watching his every move.

'How are we going to get rid of this lot?' he hissed at Paul, indicating the giggling females with a sticky finger.

'I dunno, but it must be your Robin Hood costume that's doing it,' Paul smirked, helping himself to some chips.

Drew scowled. 'I'm sorry that I just ooze sex appeal and you don't…hey wait, what are they all looking at?'

The gaggle of girls had suddenly lost interest in the objects of their affection and were now squinting out onto the dance floor, standing on their tip toes in an attempt to see over the heads of the people. There were many admiring gasps and a couple of envious wails. Drew frowned. The crowd on the dance floor was acting just as strangely. Nobody seemed to be dancing any more; they all seemed to be staring at something. He just couldn't see _what_.

Then the crowd parted, and Drew almost choked on his cupcake. Beside him, Paul's luckily empty cup clattered to the floor.

* * *

Misty felt a rush of relief as she glanced around the packed, noisy room, examining the hundreds of different costumes. Despite the fact that she'd spent most of her preteen years tramping around Kanto in tiny shorts and a tank top, Misty had been having her own misgivings about the skimpiness of her costume. Now she saw that Dawn had not been exaggerating when she said that Halloween was just an excuse to wear lingerie out of doors. The whole place was rife with silk, lace and skin.

Two sophomore girls drifted past in miniscule white babydoll dresses with silver fairy wings and matching halos, while a group of junior class girls seemed to be channeling a Moulin Rouge theme with feathers, fishnets and corsets in red and black. There were pirates complete with striped mini skirts and matching garters, surfers in bikini tops and bleached denim shorts, vampires with chalk white faces and plunging designer dresses, princesses, fairies of all kinds – but not a single Pokémon costume. Misty could hardly believe it. Dawn had certainly hit the jackpot.

May peeped out from behind Misty and let out a wail, hugging her cape even more tightly across her chest.

Dawn rolled her eyes and turned around, tugging May out from behind Misty. 'Will you stop it?' she said in exasperation, raising her voice to be heard over the music as she pried May's hands from the hem of the cloak. 'You look gorgeous, but you're just going to look like an idiot if do that!'

'Yeah, come on May,' Misty said encouragingly. 'You're gonna knock Drew flat in that outfit! My sisters always say if you've got it, flaunt it!'

May smiled reluctantly, allowing Dawn to arrange her cape back over her shoulders. 'You're right,' she mumbled, letting out a shaky breath. 'It's not really the costume, I guess I'm just sort of freaking out here…'

'You're going to be fine,' Misty said reassuringly, adjusting her long blue ears. 'Er…shall we get a drink? I've got a couple of minutes before I have to meet Gary…' she trailed off, immediately looking glum.

'Yeah, let's go,' Dawn said, laying a sympathetic hand on Misty's arm as she started to make her way through the crowds.

'Is anybody looking?' May asked anxiously as she shuffled after her.

'Of course they're looking,' Dawn snorted, tossing her hair over her shoulders. 'Who _wouldn't_ be?'

Misty let out a giggle, shaking her head, but to her intense chagrin she saw that Dawn was absolutely right. A hush fell as they drew deeper into the room; even the music seemed to falter. Every single person in the vicinity was staring at them. Girls were whispering to each other behind their hands, pointing, their faces dark with jealousy; or they were slapping their ogling dance partners, looking incensed. There wasn't a male within a ten foot radius who hadn't stopped dead in his tracks to follow the three of them with his eyes, mouths hanging open.

Misty well used to people staring at her in a revealing costume, but given that these people staring were all her school mates, she couldn't help feeling just a little uncomfortable. She glanced to her right; May looked like she was about to explode, her face was so red, but Misty could tell she was secretly enjoying the attention. Dawn, predictably, didn't look the least bit discomposed. Indeed, she was grinning broadly round at everyone, occasionally giving her hair a nonchalant little flick. Misty suppressed a giggle.

Though she was flattered by the attention, Misty didn't let her wits get away from her for a second. She continually scanned the crowd around her, keeping a sharp eye out for Ash, though she really didn't expect him to be here yet. She wasn't sure what she'd do if she saw him, but she figured that being aware of his presence in advance couldn't possibly be a bad thing. She didn't have to worry about meeting Gary, whom she knew would rather die than enter a dance without a date on his arm, which left just two other people for her to single out.

The crowd shifted a little and Misty caught sight of what she was looking for. She was in luck; the two boys were right where they were heading, so she wouldn't need to conjure an excuse to drag May and Dawn over. Misty carefully steered her friends through the masses of people towards her target, glancing at them to see if they had noticed. Dawn's smile disappeared, her face paling as she noticed who was waiting for her, but her step didn't falter; it was almost as though she realized a meeting was inevitable during the course of the evening. May, who had been starting to smile rather hesitantly, noticed too late where they were headed and though she tried to scramble backwards like a frightened colt, Misty seized her by the arm and frog marched her forwards.

'Hey Paul, hey Drew,' Misty said brightly as they approached, grinning like a shark honing in for the kill. Though she couldn't bring herself to be mad with Drew and Paul for telling May and Dawn about her bet with Gary, since her life had drastically improved since then, she wasn't going to miss the chance to mess with their heads _just _a little. And with May and Dawn dressed like they were, now was the perfect time for a little revenge.

The two boys didn't acknowledge Misty's presence at all, or the fact that she had spoken. They were too busy staring, open mouthed, at the two girls in beside her.

May was dressed in a silky bodice, angularly marked in two toned green, paired with yellow tipped pale green boots. A dark green cape slung over her shoulders and her slim neck was adorned with a thick gold band. Her arms were bare except for her wrists. On her right she wore a large, opulent silk rose in deep red; on her left, its pair, in royal blue.

Her coffee colored hair hung loose around her face, straight and sleek in a way that Drew had never seen it before, and nestled atop her crown was a fluffy white hairband. Her usually minimal makeup had been replaced with daring gold eyeshadow and lavish curling eyeliner, noticeable though most of her upper face was hidden behind a green mask. She was staring steadily at the floor, as if wishing it would just swallow her whole.

Dawn's upper body was wrapped in fabric stunningly patterned in diagonal flames of yellow and red. She was wearing elbow length yellow gloves that met her skin with a black band, and though she'd forgone the protruding shoulder pads, attached to the back of her costume was a large red tail shaped like a flame, melding up her spine in an array of dangerous looking spikes. Her boots were perhaps the most interesting of all; white at the toe, red around the ankle and black around the calf, a thin streak of pale pink at the top.

Her hair was elegantly twisted into a topknot, curling tendrils spilling loose, and set atop her head was a little red crown, blazed up the middle with a tall yellow flame. Her eyes were dramatically made up with black eye shadow and gold glitter, and she was smiling rather timidly at Paul.

For a second there was complete and utter silence, and Misty had to work hard to stifle the giggles just waiting to break loose.

'Oh, will you look at that, I have to go,' she said quickly, her voice heavy with amusement as she pretended to glance at her Pokegear, before remembering she was wearing gloves instead. 'Why don't you guys dance or something, and I'll catch up with you later?'

'Uhhh…' Drew mumbled incoherently, his face flushing purple. May squeaked, sending Misty a desperate look, but Misty ignored her.

'Have fun you lot,' she said, trying to smother the laughter in her tone. 'See you later…okay bye!'

'Wait, don't you want us to come with you?' Dawn said in concern, snapping out of her Paul-induced trance for just a second.

'No it's fine,' Misty replied hastily. 'You guys have fun!'

'We don't mind,' May put in shrilly.

'No, no, I'll be okay!' Misty assured them, backing away.

'Well…see you then,' Dawn said uncertainly, looking both skeptical and sympathetic. 'We'll be here if you need us!'

'Yeah, good luck!' May managed to mumble, getting over her embarrassment in light of Misty's admittedly dim situation.

'Thanks guys,' Misty called gratefully as she disappeared into the crowd, smiling as she headed towards the doors. She really did appreciate how sweet her friends were being, but she was determined not to let Gary ruin their evening as well. Just because her night was destined to be a disaster didn't mean May and Dawn's had to be.

She edged through the crowds and found the door before walking all the way back to the entrance of Pokémon High. She was very pleased to see that Gary was already waiting for her, holding a bunch of flowers and looking distinctly on the grumpy side.

'Where have you been?' he snapped as soon as she was within hearing range. 'I've been waiting for you for five minutes.'

'And look, you survived,' Misty shot back sarcastically. 'I was inside with my friends, okay?'

The irritation drained from Gary's face to be replaced with his usual smirk. 'Wishing you could stay with them, weren't you?' he taunted.

Misty didn't say anything. Gary chuckled smoothly, offering her the little bouquet of white roses with a malicious smile. 'For you, princess,' he crooned poisonously.

Misty snorted coolly. 'I prefer the term "champion" thank you very much,' she shot back with a smirk of her own as she snatched the flowers from him and resisted the urge to lob them into a nearby trash can.

Gary's face turned an ugly shade of purple as Misty turned on her heel and marched back inside, trailing the flowers along the ground as she went, leaving him to fall into step behind her. The blood was pounding through her head. She was done with Gary.

* * *

Ash's evening was officially only half an hour old, and he was already convinced that this would go down in his history books as the worst night of his life.

His mood had been in freefall from the moment he'd left his house. When he'd jammed his finger into the Oak's doorbell, a fake smile plastered across his face, he'd been unlucky enough to have the door opened for him by none other than Professor Oak himself. The old man had greeted him with his usual enthusiastic friendliness, but Ash had been too embarrassed to join in with the Professor's light banter. He hadn't thought of this when he'd so rashly asked Daisy to the dance.

Daisy had waltzed down minutes later in what was frankly the most ridiculous outfit Ash had ever seen. It was clearly calculated to make even the most hardhearted man fall drooling at her feet, but the truth was, Ash could not have been more repulsed. He was not the only one. Ash couldn't help noticing Professor Oak's expression as Daisy smiled salaciously and tucked her wrist through Ash's gloved arm. It struck Ash that batty though he might be, the Professor was sharper than most people gave him credit for; it was clear he was in little doubt over his dear granddaughter's charming character.

Ash had quickly pulled her from the house before Gary could make an appearance and practically shoved her in the car, where she'd proceeded to talk enough for the both of them all the way back to the school. She never once alluded to the battle earlier that day, something that Ash wasn't sure whether to be glad of or not. He hadn't bothered to bring it up himself. He'd simply gripped the steering wheel like it was a lifesaver and stayed in stony silence.

Ash's temper took another nose dive the second he led Daisy into the Appeal Complex. Gary was the first person Ash spotted, surrounded by girls, with Misty nowhere in sight. He was wearing an outfit that was annoyingly similar to what Ash was wearing. A tight black bodysuit with a broad red streak up the middle, chunky black boots and a sweeping black cape lined in red – he'd even dyed his hair, restyling it so that it spiked backwards like a scarlet flame. Ash snorted, consoling himself that dressing up as Johto's new Champion was the closest Gary would ever get to the position himself.

Suddenly Gary stepped sideways, revealing someone who was standing directly behind him. She was clutching a drink, twirling a long curly strand of her perfectly styled hair as she stared wistfully off at the couples packed on the dancefloor. Gary gave her a sharp elbow as he dragged her forwards, slinging a possessive arm low around her waist; she turned to hiss at him, her face like thunder.

Ash's stomach did a somersault, blood rushing to his face. It was Misty.

* * *

Misty might have been able to fool herself that she was doing her two friends a favor by leaving them with Drew and Paul, but if she'd been around to witness the aftermath of her departure, she might have realized otherwise. With her sudden disappearance she left a painful silence in her wake, broken only by the incessant pounding of the music; certainly, nobody made a move to dance, as she'd commanded. Drew coughed uncomfortably, shifting from foot to foot while May tried desperately to focus her thoughts on igloos and popsicles and making snow angels in a desperate attempt to make the hot blood drain from her face and neck. Paul looked like he'd never speak again.

Dawn was the only one who looked like she didn't want to throw herself off a cliff, though if you'd asked her, she wouldn't have been adverse to the idea of running hell for leather back to her room and hiding under her comforter for the rest of the night. But knowing that the plan she'd so carefully concocted would be ruined if she didn't do something to break the ice, she made the first brave stab at conversation.

'You guys having fun?' she managed to grind out over the noise, staring at a point somewhere between Paul and Drew's heads.

Paul made an odd gurgling noise like something had just died in his throat and glancing with alarm at his friend's dumbstruck expression, Drew hastily took over.

'Erm…yes, yes we are,' he mumbled. 'Uhhh…are you?'

'A blast,' May replied faintly, her hands creeping back towards her cape. With a sudden movement she made to yank it across herself, but catching sight of Dawn's threatening glance she let her hands drop awkwardly back to her side.

The silence, only weakly held at bay, threatened to encroach again; Dawn bravely tried again.

'That was some battle we had earlier,' she commented casually, trying to ignore how May was trying to inch behind her.

The provocative comment had just the effect she was looking for. Paul's mouth tightened, his brows furrowing; Drew's emerald eyes flashed dangerously. He started to speak, but to Dawn's surprise, Paul cut him off.

'Yes, it was,' he said tersely, his black eyes boring into her.

Dawn grinned, pleased that she'd been able to coax him to speech. 'Bet you thought you had us beat, huh?' she said teasingly.

'I did, as a matter of fact,' Paul replied icily, ignoring the frantic 'shut up!' looks Drew was pelting his way.

Dawn's smile faded, her eyes narrowing. 'Oh yeah?' she said, her tone cooling rapidly. 'So I bet it was a nasty surprise when my Cyndaquil kicked your Gliscor's butt?'

'Cyndaquil didn't - ' Paul started to say, but May interrupted him.

'And I bet _you_ thought your Masquerain could beat my Beautifly, didn't you?' she said aggressively, her face reddening again as she glared at Drew.

Drew looked taken aback by the sudden assault. 'I never said that!' he replied defensively.

'But you were thinking it, weren't you?' May shot back.

'I wouldn't have sent out Masquerain in the first place if I hadn't thought it had a chance of winning,' Drew snapped angrily.

'Well, looks like that oversized head of yours thought wrong!'

'You can't talk, you didn't even beat me!'

'Yes I did, Masquerain was out cold!'

'So was Beautifly, you idiot girl!'

Dawn glared at Paul as May and Drew's conversation quickly descended into a full out squabbling match.

'This is all your fault,' she snapped, trying to block out May's indignant shrieks. 'Why did you have to be so rude?'

'If I remember correctly, it was you who brought up the subject of the battle in the first place,' Paul replied coldly. 'So technically, it's _your _fault.

Dawn reddened, but she wouldn't back down. 'I was just trying to be polite, and you had to go and say you thought we'd be a pushover!'

'I was merely being honest about my attitude to our match! What would you rather me say? That I approached the battle having already conceded defeat?'

Dawn bit her lip, quailing under Paul's intense gaze. She suddenly realized just how unfair she was being, for no other reason than to get a rise out of him.

'Yeah…sorry,' she muttered, coloring as she stared at the ground.

Paul's eyes widened, his hostile expression melting; he looked stumped by her swift apology.

'Uhh…I was perhaps a little abrupt myself,' he said hesitantly, as if half expecting her to shoot back with something accusatory.

Dawn nodded mutely, smiling, and Paul's face relaxed immediately. His expression still bore its usual grimness but his eyes were bright in a way that made Dawn's heart flutter. She was just casting around for a safe subject to begin upon when she caught sight of something over Paul's shoulder that made her heart leap!'

'Look, there they are!' she cried, pointing. Paul turned and catching sight of what she was pointing at, he smiled one of his rare smiles that made Dawn want to melt into a puddle on the floor. Flustered, she followed Paul's suit; he was kicking Drew in the shin, trying to get his friend's attention.

'May – May, look who it is!'

'What? Shut up Dawn, you're interrupting me! No, if you hadn't been so cocky as to use your Butterfree against my Blaziken - '

'Your Blaziken was totally out of control, thank you very much!' Drew roared.

'Look who's talking! Your Butterfree was even worse!'

Dawn rolled her eyes; trust May and Drew to be arguing over who was the better Coordinator at a time like this.

'No, no, shut up May – look!'

May finally paid attention to what her friend was saying and without anyone to argue with, Drew finally realized what the pain in his leg was being caused by. The foursome stared across the room, to what Dawn was pointing at.

Ash and Gary were squaring off like a couple of caribou about to smash heads together. Paul and Drew, well acquainted with Ash's recently acquired violent tendencies, couldn't help worrying that a full scale fight was about to break out between the two. The long open hostility between them had finally reached it peak, the air above the two rivals crackling with electric animosity. Both had one up on the other. Both had what the other wanted. And both were determined not to concede it. Ash had already won the first round, by defending his Champion title, but Paul, Drew, Dawn and May knew that without their help, Gary was going to win the war.

Misty stood beside Gary, her face uncertain as she stared between the hostile pair. Daisy wasn't even watching her date and her younger brother snarl at each other; she was too busy eyeing Misty with an expression that perfectly mingled hate and fury with pure, unadulterated jealousy.

'Oh, that's classy,' Dawn said in disgust, noticing Daisy's plunging black corset, fishnet tights and fluffy white tail for the first time.

May's thoughts were on a different track. 'I am so glad we got Ash a costume,' she said in horror, eyeing Daisy's matching cuffs, bow tie and satin bunny ears. 'What if she'd made him go as Hugh Hefner? Ugh, what a horrible mental image _that _makes,' she shuddered.

But Dawn wasn't listening. She glanced between the two couples, an eager smile spreading over her face. She turned to her three companions, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

'It's time.'

* * *

Owari! What the heck is going to happen next? Wait and see! The next chapter is going to be a lot of fun to write but I think it will prove quite difficult, so please, bear with me.

I am aware that Lance is only the Johto Champion in the games but his outfit is a lot more impressive than the dude's who won in the anime, so I used him instead. Author's prerogative :)

I recently reread The Chamber of Secrets…the inspiration for the opening lines of this chapter.

I was also wondering – would any of you be interested in doing some fan art for this story? I wish I could do something myself, but since my artistic talents do not extend to drawing people, it would only end in tears. If any of you are interested, feel free to contact me about it.

Also – can anyone recommend a good Pokeshipping story in a high school setting? Since I'm writing one myself, I'd love to read a couple.

Song Inspiration: Mickey by Lolly and Jesse's Girl by the cast of Glee.

**Review Replies:**

Ohhh, I love you all SO much! The abundant praise I received for my last chapter made me SO happy, and as always, your support only motivates me to work faster. I just cannot express how much your kind words mean to me. **Samia-chan**, your continual insistence that I have what it takes to be a writer gives me hope that I'm not chasing a hopeless dream. **Crystalgurl101** – your reviews are always epic, and I'm totally expecting those waffles! :D **Njam **- thank you for your extremely useful input, my battle scenes are something of a combination of the games and the anime, but I think it works since I've noticed that in the anime, Type strengths and weaknesses seem to vary somewhat. **Steveaaml**…well, you've rocked my world from the moment you started reviewing! I would love to be able to mention you all here but if I did I'd never get any work on my story done – please, just know that even the shortest review means so much to me, and your words of encouragement never go unappreciated. THANK YOU!


	23. Just Wanna Be With You

Hello, lovely readers! First off, I am sorry this is so long in coming – this chapter was originally twice as long as you see it here. Yes, once again I have underestimated my own wordiness, and have been forced to add another chapter into my plan. Still, you can expect the next chapter fairly soon, as it is almost complete. I absolutely love this chapter as it was so liberating to write, and I hope you do too. Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty Three: Just Wanna Be With You

Dawn turned to May and Drew, her expression dangerous.

'Okay you two problem children, here's the deal,' she snapped. 'I worked _very _hard on coming up with this master plan to get Ash and Misty together, but if its going to work, you two have to get over yourselves already, get it?'

'He started it!' May put in sulkily. Drew made an outraged noise but Dawn ploughed on as if she hadn't heard either of them, her voice a little louder than before.

'I know that this arguing thing is just an elaborate way to express the deep, meaningful feelings you so clearly harbor for each other, but can you keep a lid on it for _maybe_ about a half an hour? Cause honestly, if I have to listen to any more of your sexually charged arguments over who should have won the last Intraschool Contest, I swear I'm gonna puke.'

'_What_?' Drew and May yelled simultaneously, springing away from each other in disgust.

'Our arguments aren't…aren't _sexually charged_!' Drew blustered, getting very red in the face.

'But they are,' Dawn replied composedly, going pink as Paul smiled at her.

'You're one to talk!' May screeched, kicking Dawn in the shins. 'You've been arguing with Emo Boy here from the moment you met him!'

'So you're not denying it?' Paul cut in silkily before Dawn could reply, his eyes boring into May. She wilted immediately under his gaze.

'No! Wait, I mean yes, yes of course I'm denying it! I don't even need to deny it cause its not true!' May squeaked, blushing to the roots of her hair.

'Yeah, its not!' Drew added hotly.

Dawn rolled her eyes. 'Now now, you'll have plenty of time to talk about your relationship _after _we execute the master plan, okay? But right now, we have a slightly more pressing problem to deal with i.e. breaking up Ash and Gary's love fest before Ash gets himself expelled. Agreed?'

May nodded silently as Drew mumbled something in consent, each avoiding the other's eyes. Dawn nodded in satisfaction. She turned to Paul.

'You guys know what to do?'

Paul nodded quickly, checking his watch. 'We'll have Ash at Point X in approximately seven minutes, all being well. You sure you'll be able to handle Misty in that time?'

Dawn shrugged easily. 'Yeah, it'll be fine. She's bound to be dying to get away from Gary by now.'

'Okay. Well…good luck,' Paul mumbled with a crooked smile. Dawn smiled radiantly back.

'You too. We'll see you in a minute.'

And with that, she turned on her heel and sauntered away. May shot Drew a last, frightened glance before shuffling hastily after her friend. The two boys watched them intently as they melted into the crowd. Drew let out a long, tense sigh before turning to Paul with a bright expression.

'Well, that didn't go nearly as bad as I expected,' he commented, wiping his sweaty forehead. 'After our accidental eavesdropping and that stupid consolation round battle, I was worried they weren't even going to talk to us!'

Paul rolled his eyes. 'Dude, you got in a massive shouting match, how is that not as bad as you expected?'

'Uhhh…no time for that now, we've got to get moving,' Drew said briskly, neatly side stepping Paul's question. 'We need to get to Ash, and pronto.'

Paul let it pass, figuring now was not the time for an argument. 'Whatever, let's go before…Drew, what the heck are you doing?'

In a flash Drew had whipped a pair of aviator sunglasses from the leather pouch on his belt and plonking them on his nose, he proceeded to pull a two distinctly non fifteen century walkie talkies from the quiver on his back. He tossed one to the dumbstruck Paul before holding the other to his mouth, adopting a husky baritone.

'Commencing plan Echo Papa India Alpha, all agents shoot to kill in t minus ten seconds and counting…'

'Drew - '

'Talk to me, Goose.'

Paul made an exasperated noise, seizing the sunglasses from his friend's nose.

'Hey, get your own!' Drew said indignantly, trying to grab them back.

'Will you grow up already?' Paul hissed. 'Robin Hood doesn't wear sunglasses. We're trying to _not_ look suspicious, remember?

'But - '

'I know Ash is a bit dim but he'd bound to notice something's up if we're using walkie freaking _talkies _to keep in touch! What do we need these for anyway? The plan calls for us to stick together!'

'Unfortunately,' Drew mumbled, pouting. He sighed dramatically. 'Fine,' he conceded, affecting a wounded expression as he grabbed the glasses back from Paul and threw them into his quiver along with the two walkie talkies. 'No technology.'

Paul raised an eyebrow, taken aback. 'You mean that's it?' he asked in amazement. He hadn't expected Drew to give in so easily.

Drew grinned impishly. 'Not quite.'

With a whooping Indian war cry he yanked the dagger from his belt, attracting several alarmed glanced as he waved it so wildly he almost succeeded in decapitating Paul.

'Hear ye, hear ye, Gary Oak, thy days under the sun are numbered! My Merry Men and I shall not rest til thy head parts company with thy body! All for one and one for all, musketeers! Hiii, yooo!' he finished, attempting some sort of tribal dance that involved circling around an imaginary fire and contorting his face like a monkey.

Paul let out an explosive snort of laughter. 'History's not your strong point, is it Drew?' he cackled, carefully avoiding the dagger as he seized his friend by the arm and began dragging him away.

'Actually I thought that was rather good, didn't you? I practiced my war cry, you know…'

Paul let out a groan. 'Coordinators,' he mumbled under his breath.

* * *

Ash swallowed heavily; his mouth seemed to have gone awfully dry. He was dimly conscious of his darkening cheeks, and he knew that if Daisy caught him staring, she'd have his head, but he just couldn't seem to make himself look away from her. She squirmed irritably in Gary's vice like grip, the movement of her body lithe and fluid; Ash felt the blood simmering in his veins as he watched her.

And then there was that…costume she was wearing. Ash had almost had a heart attack at the water show, when she'd donned the abstract mermaid costume, but this was much, much worse. Then, she had held the spotlight, alone in her flawlessness; now, as she cast that pearly radiance on everything around her, throwing into stark relief the differences that set her apart from those that would seek to rival her, her perfections were only highlighted further. And yet, she was totally unaware of her own supremacy, without vanity or reliance on her physical attributes; this innocence only placed her further from the challenges of others.

She was so close, so touchable; everything about her was intoxicating.

Ash was so fixated upon Misty that he jumped as she suddenly jerked herself from Gary's grip, and shooting a look of pure venom at her captor she retreated back to the outskirts of the group of girls that encircled him. Gary didn't try and stop her, perhaps realizing that there was only so far he could push her; but Ash didn't miss the irritable look he threw her as she stalked away from him.

Ash saw his chance. Forgetting all about Daisy, who was momentarily distracted by a friend, he darted forwards, ducking through groups of his classmates clustered conveniently close to Gary's ring of admirers which served to shield him perfectly from his rival's sharp eyes. Strategically veering around Gary's circle, Ash emerged from the crowd and just as she turned his way.

Those aqua blue eyes alighted upon him immediately as she stopped dead, almost dropping the drink she was nursing. Her eyes widened, her expression flickering from shock to amazement to admiration faster than he could process. She finally settled on embarrassment as the appropriate emotion of the moment, her face flushing a delicate pink as she shuffled awkwardly in the spotlight of his heated gaze.

Ash cleared his throat. 'Hello, Misty,' he said quietly, removing his hat. Those eyes widened even further.

'H-hello, Ash,' she stumbled, smiling tremulously.

Ash was just trying to form some coherent remark about her appearance when Daisy appeared at his elbow, looking like she was about to spit fire. She eyed Misty peevishly as she slipped a possessive arm into the crook of Ash's elbow.

Misty's shining eyes darkened, but she didn't back down. 'Hello, Daisy,' she said, her light tone carrying an amused lilt of disdain. 'Nice costume. You'd make a perfect Playboy Bunny.'

Daisy beady eyes narrowed suspiciously. 'Thank you,' she said with dignity, tossing her head. 'You make a nice Pokémon,' she added with a smirk.

Misty raised an eyebrow contemptuously. 'Yeah, you should try it – maybe then you'd win some battles.'

Ash snorted, but catching sight of Daisy's incensed expression, smothered his laughter with a loud fake cough; Misty's eyes glittered with triumph. Daisy, scowling liberally, opened her mouth to retaliate, but someone cut her off.

'Now now, Misty, be nice to my big sister.'

Ash's silent laughter ceased immediately as Gary stepped smartly forwards, slinking an arm around Misty's slim waist. She flinched visibly at his closeness but this time, she didn't try to escape. Ash wished fervently that she would, but unbeknownst to him, Gary's pointed dig in her ribs warned her against trying.

'Gary,' Ash said curtly.

'Ash,' Gary shot back, his tone terse as a ghost of something that looked awfully like jealousy flitting across his face. But at that moment Misty shifted in his grasp, trying to put as much space between them as possible, and Gary began to smile again.

'Looking good, Ashy-boy,' he jeered. 'What are you, some sort of medieval superhero?'

Ash shrugged carelessly. 'Something like that.'

'Bet you don't know who _I _am,' Gary taunted.

'Just enjoy it while you can, Gary, cause it's the closest you'll ever get to actually being a League Champion. Heck, it's the closest you'll ever get to becoming a Pokémon High Champion.'

Gary's gloating expression disappeared. 'That's what you think, punk,' he hissed.

'No, that's what I _know_, loser,' Ash stated with relish.

'You just wait until next month, I'll - '

'You know what Gary?' Ash cut in. 'You need to stop talking so big, cause you're just making an even bigger fool out of yourself. You've been saying that for three months, and I'm still the Champion around here.'

'I beat you last week!' Gary snapped.

Ash shrugged indifferently, conveniently forgetting how much he'd suffered after the loss. 'That was just a training match,' he said dismissively. 'When it comes down to the wire, you haven't got the guts to make it stick, and you know it.'

'I - '

Ash watched with intense satisfaction as his rival fell silent, defeated. Gary should have had the good sense to stay away from the matter of Pokémon battling; after the afternoon's match, it was an argument he could not possibly hope to win. Ash might have decided to be gracious, but that didn't mean he was going to allow Gary to belittle him in public. Gary had asked for this one.

But Gary was not to be outdone that easily. He stared at Ash for several seconds, his eyes narrowed, before his flushed face broke out into an inexplicable smile. Leaving Ash's last comment unchallenged, he shifted pointedly sideways, so that he was facing Misty instead. His smile was tender as he leaned close to her, ignoring her revolted grimace. Ash's hackles rose.

'Misty's looking well this evening, don't you think, Ashy-boy?' Gary said softly, playing with a stray strand of her fiery hair.

Ash's momentary triumph vanished in an instant. He stayed determinedly silent, quickly concluding that he needed to leave this conversation before he hit someone. But just as he was about to quietly back away, Gary turned to him with an enquiring expression.

'Oh, don't you think so, Ash?' he said with polite incredulity.

Ash groaned inwardly; he should have known that Gary wouldn't let him get away so easily. He knew that simply agreeing with Gary was the best way to make him shut up (though on the point of Misty's appearance, there could be no other opinion) so gritting his teeth, Ash fixed his eyes on the ceiling and forced a stiff nod.

Gary watched him carefully, and satisfied that he'd gotten a reaction, he returned to staring adoringly at the girl clenched unwillingly to his side.

'Of course, she _was _meant to be your date and all…' He trailed off delicately, letting his words hang heavily between them. Ash's hands clenched unconsciously into fists, the blood pounding furiously in his head; Daisy hissed like an angry Seviper but he ignored her as Gary continued. '…so I guess it really is a pity for you that she picked me instead.'

At that moment, something in Ash snapped. He didn't care that he'd already beaten Gary once that day. He didn't care that sinking his fist into the Headmaster's grandson's face would almost certainly get him expelled. He was so angry that he could barely see straight. Gary was going to pay for that.

His face burning, Ash let out a feral snarl, followed by a string of profanities so filthy that even Misty looked impressed. Gary's dark blue eyes gleamed as he just smiled even wider.

'Tut tut, Ashy – using such language in front of ladies!' he chastised patronizingly. 'You should be ashamed of yourself – but then again, jealousy does terrible things to people.'

A lot of things seemed to happen at once. Ash let out a shout of rage, charging down his rival like a raging bull and waving his staff like a madman. Gary tensed, expecting the impact, but before Ash could reach him, Misty got there first. Wrenching herself free from his grip she dealt him a sound kick in the shins and, receiving a howl of agony for her trouble, gleefully responded by stamping one of her high heels into the toe of his boot.

Ash was so shocked by her sudden violent display that he stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes almost popping from his skull. Daisy came barreling past him towards her brother and Misty, her expression manic; Ash guessed she was having trouble deciding who she was going to kill first. He seized her arm and thrust her backwards, ignoring her yelp of protest. This was between he and Gary, and no matter how much he disliked her, he didn't want her getting hurt on his account.

Gary, who'd been slightly distracted by his mangled foot, straightened up, and turning slowly to face Misty, he leveled the most intimidating stare Ash had ever seen. His whole expression chilled Ash to the bone. Misty paled but she held her head high, glaring furiously straight back into his eyes without quavering.

At that moment, something in Ash's head just clicked. He was missing something here, he just knew it. He just didn't know _what._

Ash figured that the time for diplomacy was long past; it was time for some aggressive negotiations. He relaunched himself towards Gary, but before he'd so much as raised a fist, he felt someone seize the back of his cloak and jerk him backwards. Furious at being distracted from clobbering Gary, Ash wheeled around, his staff raised threateningly. He almost dropped it in surprise as he came face to face with Paul and Drew.

'You don't want to do that, mate,' Paul mumbled as he and Drew latched onto Ash and yanked him towards the door.

'Let go, lemme at him, I'm going to knock his block off,' Ash snarled, struggling hard against his friends, but neither of them would give. Ash managed to glance over his shoulder; Misty and Gary had already vanished.

Also noting Gary's absence, Drew and Paul relinquished their death grip on Ash's arms; he snatched his limbs back with a growl.

'What are you doing?' he hissed angrily. 'I was about to beat Gary to a pulp!'

'No, _he_ was about to beat _you_ to a pulp,' Drew interjected smartly, straightening his hat.

Ash made an outraged noise but Paul interrupted him. 'Ash, Gary is an Oak! Face it, we just saved you from getting your butt expelled!'

Ash scowled, muttering to himself, but he knew that Paul was right. Ruining a school dance by picking a fight was stupid enough, but provoking the Headmaster's grandson was just suicide.

Paul nodded in satisfaction. 'Come on, Ash. We need to talk to you. Let's go out into the hall.'

Ash sighed in resignation, preparing himself for whatever lecture Paul had prepared, but just as he was sloping after them, a plaintive voice piped up from behind him.

'But what about me? You can't take Ash, he's my date! Who will I dance with?'

Ash rolled his eyes, forcing himself to take a deep, steadying breath. 'There are loads of guys here who'd love to dance with you, Daisy,' he ground out. 'I'll just be a few minutes, okay?'

'But - '

'My lady, may I have this dance?' Drew stepped in with a gallant bow. 'I've taken many a ballroom dancing lesson, I placed third in the tournament today, behind your good self – and I'm ridiculously handsome, if I do say so myself. Do I satisfy?'

Daisy appraised him critically for a second. 'Fine, you'll do,' she relented, eyeing Drew's shapely tight-clad legs in an arch manner.

Drew dropped Ash a wink and swept her away; Ash watched those ignominious bunny ears disappear without regret before reluctantly followed Paul out into the hall.

But Paul did not pause outside of the imposing double doors that marked the entrance to the Appeal Complex. He led Ash far down the hall and around a corner, near to where the bathrooms were. Ash was surprised, but did not question him. Indeed, he felt his intrigue pique; whatever Paul had to say, it must be quite important for him to desire so much privacy.

Paul stopped outside an old broom closet, and turned to face Ash with a serious expression. He paused, surveying his friend with a critical expression before he finally spoke.

'Ash, do you know why I have brought you here?' he said in a stern tone.

Ash started, noting the dangerous glimmer in Paul's eye, and tried to remember if he'd done something to offend his rather alarming looking friend – apart from spending the last week acting like a total ass. Thankfully, he was saved from replying by the sudden appearance of Drew from around the corner. The Coordinator was panting, his face sweating slightly as he staggered over to them.

'Drew, what are you doing here?' Ash said in amazement. 'You're supposed to be dancing with Daisy! She'll kill me for leaving her with you!'

'She's fine,' Drew replied dismissively. 'I told her that Ritchie once beat you in a Pokémon League match and she was more than happy to dance with him instead.'

'Gee, thanks for that,' Ash snapped, his temper itching. 'What do you two want, anyway? You're sort of interrupting my date here!'

Paul and Drew exchanged a dark glance. Ash took a nervous step backwards as they began to advance towards him.

'_What?'_ he said irritably.

'Just remember that we did it because we love you, Ash,' Drew said with a razor sharp smile.

'Yeah, it's for your own good,' Paul added with a smirk.

Ash let out a hoarse yell as they whipped open the broom closet door, shoved him inside and slammed the door closed again, the locking clicking behind them.

In the seven years he'd been a Pokémon Trainer, Ash had dubiously endured an amazing amount of surprise events – falling into holes in the ground, the appearance of giant robots that attempted to steal his Pikachu, Team Rocket's almost divine ability to materialize wherever he went, and of course his several actual death experiences – so naturally, his reflexes were uncommonly good. Though he didn't quite succeed in escaping from Drew and Paul before they could shut him in a broom closet, he did manage to locate the light switch in the pitch dark within five seconds of finding himself trapped, all the while keeping up a loud and obnoxious stream of demands to be released, which included frequent, graphic promises to kill both of them once he was freed.

Just as he was thumping heavily on the unforgiving door, yelling on about his human rights to freedom of movement, a horrible thought had struck him. The broom closet in which he was so unfortunately sequestered was in close proximity to the bathrooms. What if…it was a long shot, but what if Gary Oak walked by, on his way to a mirror lined wall where he could check his perfectly coiffed hair in peace? And what if he heard Ash banging and clattering around like a trapped banshee? The idea of being found locked in a broom cupboard by his worst enemy was more than Ash could stomach. He'd immediately decided on a different plan of action. It was clear by now that Drew and Paul were not going to release him, no matter how loudly he hollered, so the obvious best thing to do was to sit quietly and listen very carefully for their approach – and then knock them both out the second they opened the door.

So Ash had found himself an upturned bucket to perch upon and, staring blankly up at the naked lightbulb swinging feebly from the ceiling, he'd strained all his focus on listening for footsteps in the hallway outside.

Unfortunately, sitting still and listening intently had never been Ash's strong suits. Two minutes later he was rattling the handle of his bucket impatiently, glancing around for something sharp enough to pick a lock with and trying to calculate how long he had been trapped in the dim, dusty cupboard. He was so distracted imagining what Gary would say if he found out that Ash had been shoved in a closet by his supposed friends that he didn't hear the group of soft footfalls outside.

It happened so fast that Ash barely even had time to look up from the cleaning fluid he was examining, debating whether he could use it make a small bomb to blast himself out. The door snapped open and someone was shoved inside.

She turned and began to claw at the rapidly shrinking gap between the door and its frame, screaming out an odd mix of obscenities and pleas for mercy, her long blue ears slipping sideways in the confusion. Ash made an odd choking noise as he realized who it was. Leaping to his feet he made his own desperate bid for the door, but before either of them could secure it, it slammed shut again.

Ash swore violently and the person sprang sideways with a yell, bringing several mops and a whole shelf full of cleaning cloths crashing to the ground. Despite his grab for the door, she obviously hadn't realized that she was not alone. Extracting herself from the musty cleaning supplies she turned to him with a wrathful expression, clearly intent on grilling her fellow victim and them blaming him entirely for them for her current, humiliating predicament, just because there was no other scapegoats handy at this exact moment.

But then, as she took in Ash's fancy hat, sweeping cape and battered staff her eyes widened in recognition, and she stumbled backwards so hastily that she collided with a wall.

'Ash?' she half whispered in amazement.

Ash's gaze slid from her crooked headdress to her slim gloved arms to her silky, curved bodice to her nervously tapping boot toe, and swallowed hard.

'Hello again, Misty,' he said, his voice higher than usual. He winced inwardly at how lame the words sounded.

The corners of Misty's mouth twitched and for a moment, Ash was sure she was about to make some deliciously scathing comment about how corny and pathetic he was. But then he remembered that these weren't the old days. Everything was so much more complicated now.

'Wha – what are you doing in here?' she asked, edging back towards the door and giving the handle another futile tug.

Ash felt a flash of irritation – what did she _think_ he was doing in here? – but quelled it quickly; getting angry wouldn't solve anything. None of this was Misty's fault, and he would do well to remember it. He knew her well enough to know that her shock and distress had been real – whatever was going on here, she certainly hadn't been privy to it. In fact, he couldn't think of anything less likely that Misty actually _wanting_ to be shut in a broom closet with him.

Ash took a deep, steadying breath. 'Drew and Paul tricked me out into the hall and before I even realized what they were doing, they shoved me in here,' he replied in a measured voice.

Misty raised an eyebrow skeptically, but after several seconds of contemplation, apparently satisfied herself that he was telling the truth. But she made no attempt to explain her own situation as she settled herself on a crate of bottles of cleaning fluid. Ash bit his lip and tried not to admire the pearly gleam of her legs as she hugged them to her chest.

'Er, what about you?' Ash asked awkwardly, after a few seconds of quiet.

Misty hesitated. 'I was, er…with Gary,' she began reluctantly, avoiding Ash's eye. 'And then Dawn and May appeared. At first I thought they were coming to rescue – I mean, talk to me, but then they, er, said they wanted to dance with Gary. So…I let them. And I was just on my way to the bathroom when they popped up again and said they needed to talk to me, and then they started dragging me away and when I asked them where we were going they were all like "Oh, you'll see" and then they just shoved me in here and…that's it.' She trailed off lamely, flushing with embarrassment.

Ash's eyebrows shot up. He'd initially assumed that Drew and Paul had been solely responsible for his current miserable situation, but by the sounds of things, they hadn't been working alone. Dawn and May must have played to Gary's unbearably large ego and then whisked Misty away before he even knew what was happening. Two more for my hit list, Ash thought grimly.

There was a short pause; Ash wracked his brains, trying to think of something tactful yet probing that would somehow ferret out the truth of why they'd been entrapped in a cupboard together, by their best friends no less. Eventually he gave up on surreptitiously extracting a suitably revealing reply from her, falling back on something simpler.

'Er…you don't happen to know why, would you?' he questioned bluntly.

'Why what?' Misty asked suspiciously.

'Uhh…why they shut you in here? With…me?'

Misty's nostrils flared as she gave a contemptuous snort. 'Oh, I have a fair idea,' she replied sharply, staring furiously at a cleaning schedule posted on the wall as if it were personally responsible for May, Drew and Dawn's behavior.

Ash fell silent again; he knew that look far too well. Getting anything more out of her would be like getting blood from a stone.

He fixed his gaze on the door, praying to Arceus that it would burst open of its own accord; he tried staring at it though narrowed eyes, hoping to trigger any dormant telekinetic powers he'd been unknowingly harboring since childhood. When no such blissful events occurred, he returned to his earlier musings of how he could bust his way out. He cursed his own stupidity for not bringing any Pokémon with him, but didn't bother to ask Misty if she'd been smarter than him – he was pretty sure there wasn't room for anything like a Pokéball in that gorgeous, form fitting costume…

Ash shook his head sharply, his cheeks burning, and returned to glancing around the room, carefully avoiding looking at Misty. There was no tools that could be used to attack the lock, and he was quite keen to avoid damage to Pokémon High property – if Gary spilled about Ash's attempt to reshape his face, Ash might already be looking down the barrel at a couple of weeks of detention. If he got in any more trouble, he would find himself in Professor Oak's office.

And then there was something else holding him back. It seemed…_rude, _somehow, to appear so keen to escape being alone with Misty. She hadn't made any more moves to dislodge the door, and if she was happy to sit until May or Dawn or Drew or Paul returned, then he wasn't going to argue with her. Who knew? Maybe she was secretly glad…

Ash sighed heavily. Who am I kidding? He thought bitterly. The reason he didn't want to escape any more was because escape would mean relinquishing Misty back into Gary's hold. And as selfish and territorial as that sounded, even to Ash, he knew it was true. Here, Gary couldn't touch Misty, because she was with Ash. And as embarrassing and awkward as this was, he would have given anything to keep her from his greedy rival's grasp.

'Why did you do it?'

The question burst out of Ash before he could stop himself. Horrified, he made a desperate attempt to snatch it back, garbling something about their battle that afternoon, but Misty wasn't fooled. She cut him off with a hard, bitter laugh, her flinty gaze boring into him with painful intensity.

'Why did I do it?' she said in a devastating voice. 'I did it for you, Ash Ketchum, and a lot of good its done the both of us.

'If you honestly thought I'd willingly dump you for Gary, then you're stupider than I ever thought you were. And to be honest, I never thought you were stupid, cause you're not. I just said I did.'

'You don't think I'm stupid?' Ash blurted out in amazement.

Misty snorted again, her face unreadable in the harsh light. 'Fine, that time you got us lost in the forest cause you were reading the map upside down, I might have worried over your sanity. But no one who's ever seen you on a battlefield could ever say you're dumb.'

Ash's mouth opened and closed of its own accord, but he couldn't see to make any words come out of it. Misty let out a biting cackle.

'You still don't get it, do you?' she said, her steely voice cracking. 'It's been seven years, six months and fifteen days, Ash. How can you still not know me?'

Ash's self control, already stretched to breaking point by his encounter with Gary, suddenly gave way again. His temper flared. How dare she accuse him of anything, after what she'd put him through?

'No Misty, I don't know you,' he snapped heatedly. 'Because I spend seven years, six months and _eight _days thinking you were the best friend I'd ever had! You say you don't think I'm stupid but I'm not buying that, because I was stupid enough to believe all that _friends forever _crap you filled my head with! But no friend of mine would ever turn their back on me just to have the prestige of going out with Gary freaking _Oak_!'

Misty let out a low angry hiss as she leapt to her feet. 'Don't you give me that, Ash Ketchum!' she shouted. 'You have no idea what I've suffered for you!'

'_Suffered_ for me?' Ash repeated incredulously as he scrambled to his feet. 'When have you ever _suffered_ for me? You proved this week that you care more about your stinking reputation than you do about an eight year friendship!' He let out a furious snarl, kicking the bucket he'd been sitting on and tipping it over with an echoing clatter. 'You're the most selfish person I've ever met!' he shouted. 'You conned me into believing that you actually cared about me, that we were really, truly friends, but now I realize you just hoped you'd end up with a friend in high places one day – and as soon as someone better than me came along, you left me in the dust for him! _Why?_'

Misty's face had gone very red. 'Ash, you don't understand!' she shouted.

'No!' he yelled furiously. 'I don't! You hate Gary! And don't you try to deny it, cause I saw you attack him earlier!

'Ash, if you'd just shut _up_ for a minute - '

But Ash was too angry to listen. 'What does he have that I don't, huh?' he cut her off. 'I'm the Champion around here, he hasn't beaten me for years, not unless you count that stupid pairs training match a few weeks ago! He's the one who gave up training to become a nerdy researcher! He's never going to be a Pokémon master, the best he'll ever be is a dumb old Professor! If you were so desperate to make a name for yourself, why didn't you just stick with me?'

'Because I'm _in love with you!_'

Misty's words pierced the sudden quiet like an arrow. The blood drained instantly from her flushed face and she gasped audibly, slapping a palm over her open mouth.

Ash staggered backwards like she'd punched him, his breath catching painfully in his chest. Memories began to flash through his mind's eye at the speed of light, offering themselves as proof: the day he and Misty had met and her insistence on following him; her decision to remain with him instead of accepting Rudy's offer; her frequent and obvious displays of concern for his welfare that had peppered their travels together, despite the frequent mallet shaped bruises he received for what she deemed as his stupidity; her eyes, the day they'd parted for good. These older recollections were soon crowded out with new ones: her short return to his traveling group and her obvious pleasure in rejoining him, combined with her reluctance to leave again; her tangible discomfort at the long periods they'd spent apart with little communication; her sudden, stunning appearance at Pokémon High; the joy she'd so clearly experiences, being in his company all the time; her extension of the invitation to the water show...

And then Ash remembered the day in the cafeteria, when she'd told him, in her own words, what she'd done. He remembered his surety that she could never, never deceive him; he remembered how that trust had backfired in his face. He remembered how it had felt to have his heart broken, standing there in front of all those people, by the one person he would have trusted with his life.

It suddenly occurred to Ash that she must have discovered how he felt about her. She knew him better than anyone; it mustn't have been hard to figure out. Bile rose in his throat and he swallowed quickly, a wave of nausea gripping the pit of his stomach. She didn't love him. She was just playing with him.

Ash let out a short bark of brittle laughter. 'In love with me?' he sneered in a hard voice. 'If you're so in love with me, then why did you dump me for Gary, hmmm Misty? There's a bit of a hole in your story here. You might want to work on that.'

Color seeped back into Misty's cheeks, her eyes narrowing. 'That wasn't my fault!' she yelled.

'Then _whose fault was it_?' Ash roared suddenly. He clenched his fists, furious that he'd fallen for her cheap play, even if it had only been for a second. 'Whose, if it wasn't yours? Who else could have possibly made this decision for you?'

'I'm telling you, it wasn't me!' she shouted, eyeing the still firmly locked door like a trapped animal. Ash growled. She wasn't leaving 'til he got some answers.

'Why won't you admit it already?' Ash shouted. 'You have the nerve to come in here and tell me that you _love _me, when everybody in the whole freaking school knows you left me so you could go out with that asshole you call _Gary_ - _'_

Ash's words tangled in his throat, his eyes bugging from their sockets. It was like a light had been turned on in his head, illuminating the whole picture. Everything was clear to him now.

'Gary?' he questioned in disbelief, his words like drops of lead in the tense air.

Misty turned to him with a bitter smile, tears clouding her eyes. 'See, Ash?' she said with a harsh chuckle, her voice shaking with pain and resentment. 'I told you you're not stupid.'

Ash felt like the world had shifted beneath him. His knees gave way and he dropped abruptly to the floor, leaning dizzily against a wall.

'Gary?' he repeated dazedly.

Misty nodded miserably, her eyes flashing at the mention of Gary's name.

Several seconds of tense silence passed before Ash had the ability to speak. 'So…what happened?'

Misty sank down onto her crate and turned her shining eyes to the ceiling.

'Gary might be a spiteful, talentless piece of scum, but I'll give this to him – he's a hell of a lot more observant than you, Ash. I'd been here probably a week when he picked up on what you failed to notice in seven years.'

Ash's heart skipped a beat at that, but he didn't have time to ask questions as Misty continued, her voice devoid of emotion.

'Gary didn't care about that, though. He needed a weapon to use against you, and lo and behold, there I was, primed and ready to be manipulated.' Resentment seeped into her tone. 'All he needed was a way to hold it over me. So when we faced off in a training match, he made me a deal. If he won, he'd keep my little…secret. If I lost, I had to abandon you and go as his date to this stupid dance instead.'

Misty sighed heavily. 'I didn't lie, that day in the hall when you saved me from going with him. You have no idea how thankful I was when you appeared…well, I guess you do now,' she added with a twisted smile. 'So the idea of stabbing you in the back like that was just…unbearable. But it wasn't just that. He told me that if he won, I couldn't tell anyone about the bet, least of all you, and that if I did, he go ahead and tell you I liked you anyway. I couldn't let that happen.

'I've never wanted to win a battle so much in my life. I gave it everything I had, but it wasn't enough; it was close in the end, but he and that Electivire of his came out on top. I was devastated. I tried to find you so I could tell you myself, away from everyone, but of course he got there first, and there was nothing I could do about it. It was too late by then. You already hated me.'

It took Ash a couple of seconds to digest the avalanche of information. 'What about May and Dawn?' he questioned. 'And Drew and Paul? Why did you tell them and not me?'

Misty shook her head miserably. 'That's just the thing. I didn't tell them. Drew and Paul overheard Gary talking about it with Daisy, and when I wouldn't let them tell you, they told May and Dawn. That's why the girls forgave me so easily – cause they knew the whole story, unlike you.'

Ash struggled to make all the pieces fit. 'So they must have come up with this broom closet plan together?' he guessed.

Misty shrugged tiredly. 'I guess.'

'But why would they shut us in a cupboard?'

Misty snorted derisively. 'Haven't you guessed that already, Ash? May and Dawn have been badgering me to tell you for a whole week! They obviously thought that by shoving me in a confined space with you, I'd crack under the pressure – and they were right!'

'But…what was the big problem?' Ash questioned, his forehead creased in confusion. He felt like he was missing something. 'You put us both through hell, just so that I wouldn't find out that you lo-like me!' Ash's ears began to turn red, but he pressed on. 'Wouldn't it just have been simpler to just _tell _me?'

Misty's eyes flashed. 'You don't think that didn't occur to me, do you Ash?' she demanded. She stamped her foot, tearing at her amber locks. 'You think I'm an idiot? I wasn't exaggerating when I said I'd suffered for you – do you have any idea what it's like, keeping a secret like that hidden from your best friend for seven freaking _years_?

'It eats you up from the inside! It's always there, hovering in the background and threatening to burst out at any moment and ruin everything! It's like freaking _poison_! But I didn't care, I didn't care how much it hurt me to keep it, because I would take anything to protect you!' Her fingers curled into fists as she shook her head violently, her hair swishing about like flames. 'You mean the world to me, Ash. You _know_ that. You're the only thing that's kept me going all these years, dealing with all the crap from my sisters and the Gym and everything. Do you think I was going to let my own stupid crush jeopardize that?

'And then when Gary came along and threatened to tell you everything, I panicked. I knew that if you found out, you'd never look at me the same again. I didn't know if you'd hate me or pity me or just think of me with disgust, but I couldn't let any of those happen. I thought it would hurt you less, thinking that I was faithless and selfish and vain then knowing I'd spent seven pathetic years _pining _over you! So I tried to keep it from you. I went along with Gary's stupid plan. I made everyone promise that they wouldn't tell you. I even stayed quiet when you asked out that backstabbing cow.'

She laughed hollowly, an undercurrent of hysteria creeping into her voice. 'I honestly thought I could do it. I thought I could keep you in the dark. But I underestimated you, Ash, like just about everyone does, and you proved me wrong yet again. I underestimated our friends and their pigheadedness. But worst of all, I _over_estimated my own strength. So now you win, Ash. I've told you everything. Are you happy now? Are you? Do you-'

She was silenced as Ash leaned over, pushed her hard against the wall and with a feral grin, plunged his lips down on hers.

* * *

Hehehe, what a cliffhanger, right? You know you love me :)

**Review Replies:**

Once again, my lovelies, you all blow me away with your loveliness. **BlackBlur87 **definitely deserves a mention for reviewing just about every one of my previous chapters – thank you for taking the time, its not often that new readers do. **MissBlackLeaves** – gosh, your review was so flattering! Thank you so much – it never fails to thrill me that people enjoy my work! **HighQueen** – hi! I am so glad you don't mind about me using the costume, and THANK YOU SO MUCH! I CANNOT BELIEVE you compared waiting for my story to waiting for a HP book – I am a massive fan myself and since I admire J.K. Rowling SO much, this is pretty much the biggest and most wonderful compliment anyone can give me. Love you :) **Crystalgurl101**, you never cease to amaze me – seriously, your reviews make my day. Its loyal reviewers like you that keep me going. **Samia-chan** – yes, I am still totally mad that Dumbledore died…along with Fred, Sirius, Tonks, Lupin, Harry's parents, etc etc. Still, thanks for the review…as usual, it rocked!

To all you other amazing people that I really don't have time to mention (seriously, I have a cake in the oven and its probably reduced to a blackened, smoking mess by now) I LOVE YOU and please, your encouragement does NOT go unappreciated. Thank you for reading!

Song Inspiration: Safety Dance by the cast of Glee…along with pretty much all of their other music. I'm a self confessed Glee addict…I almost cried last night during the season finale. I have to wait until September to find out what happens next!


	24. Can I Have This Dance

Hey readers! Okay, so this probably came a little later than you were hoping, but there's an excellent reason for it. This past week I discovered the wonders of the Artemis Fowl series (nothing like an Irish boy genius to hold your attention – I just can't figure out why I hadn't read these already!) and the World Cup has taken over my life – I'm averaging at watching two whole games a day, and I can get nothing else done! And now Wimbledon has started as well, I don't know what I'm going to do…and on top, this chapter needed a little more tweaking than I'd originally hoped, and I'm glad I took the time with it because I'm a lot happier with it now.

This chapter is dedicated to my wonderful new reviewer **waterfalls** who drew this story's first piece of fan art. It is absolutely gorgeous and I am so proud to have inspired it. Thank you so much my dear!

Chapter Twenty Four: Can I Have This Dance

Ash hardly knew what he was doing. He'd never really kissed anyone before so his movements were clumsy and awkward and he was pretty sure his neck was about to snap at any moment, he was leaning so far over, but he didn't care_. _Adrenaline was singing in his veins, ripping through his body and numbing his senses to everything beyond her. He was kissing Misty, and it was _awesome._

He felt her freeze against him, just long enough to make him worry that he'd done something wrong. But then she surged forward, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and kissing back with a fervor that almost caused Ash to topple over backwards. He responded fiercely, thrusting her back against the wall and pushing himself forward so that their bodies were even closer. She gave a little noise of approval, slipping her hands down so that they were around his waist; pleasure exploded in Ash's stomach like fireworks.

Ash never knew how long it was that they kissed. All he knew was that he could have gone on forever. But when his lungs began to cry out for more than the occasional gasp of air and his knees were screaming protest to their extended contact with the concrete floor, he forced himself to pull back. His face was still only inches from hers, the stunned silence punctured only by the sound of their ragged breathing.

She was staring back with her ocean eyes wide, her fingers clutched to either side of his head, his messy hair brushing her fingers. She looked like she was about to faint.

'Ash,' was all she managed to gasp, pleading with him to tell her what she so desperately wanted to hear.

Ash swallowed thickly, unable to speak. But he managed a shaky nod, never taking his eyes from hers.

Misty went completely still. Ash felt her fingers tighten almost painfully on his loose strands of hair as her eyes searched his face, seeking out any signs of deceit. Ash looked back, willing her to believe him. He couldn't imagine what would happen if she didn't.

Then Misty made an odd choking sound in the back of her throat, her bottom lip trembling, before slumping forwards against Ash's chest. Her lithe body began to shake with dry sobs of complete and utter relief.

'You – you mean you - ' she mumbled into his shirt.

Ash wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a fierce embrace. 'Yes,' he said roughly, burying his face in her hair. He wasn't sure what else there was to say. After a kiss like that, there didn't seem to be words enough in the world to describe what was buzzing through his head.

'Oh Ash,' she choked out in a broken voice. 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I've been such an idiot this week, if I'd only known I could have spared you all this - '

Ash silenced her by lifting a finger to her lips. 'It was _not _your fault,' he murmured, 'so don't apologize. If anyone should be apologizing, it's me, for believing that you'd do something like that to me. I know you better than that, and if I hadn't been so busy nursing my wounded ego, I would have noticed what was staring me in the face.'

Misty shook her head vehemently. 'No, no, _none _of this is because of you. I was so busy trying to save you from Gary that I think I just lost it, and I was so terrified that you'd hate me and - '

Ash looked horrified. 'You really thought that?' he exclaimed. 'You honestly thought that if I found out that you liked me, I'd hate you?'

Misty fell silent, biting her lip, but Ash could see the truth in her eyes. He could hardly understand it. She'd really, truly believed that he'd leave her in the dust if he got even the merest hint of her feelings for him. Ash's insides went cold as he considered what it would feel like if Misty hated him instead. The thought didn't bear thinking about.

'Misty?' he repeated uncertainly. 'Did you…did you really…'

Misty averted her eyes, nodding dumbly. A lump sprang up in the back of Ash's throat, and he swallowed quickly; for a moment, he was at a loss for words.

'How could you even think that?' he stammered in a low voice.

'Ash…please, try to understand where I was coming from. It had been so long. Seven years can be like eternity when you're waiting for something that you want more than anything.' She sighed heavily. 'And I wasn't even waiting for you. Those seven years, I spent them trying to make myself give you up. When you tell yourself something enough times…well, it becomes the truth, to you if not in reality.

'And then Gary came along and scared me so badly with all the things he said about you and what you'd do if you found out.' A ghost of a smile appeared on Misty's face. 'I know everyone thinks you have a hero complex, but after this past week I think it's me who needs therapy for that one. I thought I was protecting you from Gary. I thought I was being all noble and selfless, and saving you from harm.'

'I realized too late that you don't need protecting…and maybe I wasn't trying to protect you after all. Maybe I was just trying to protect myself. Cause if I'd just been brave enough to tell you the truth from the start, none of this would have happened.' She sighed dejectedly. 'I let you down, Ash. I let Gary get the best of both of us, and without our friends he would have won.'

Ash reached out and cupped her face with both hands, tilting her face up so she had to look at him. 'I'm only going to say this once, so you'd better listen good,' he said passionately. 'Nothing could ever stop us from being friends. Do you hear me? Nothing! You're my best friend, first and foremost, and nothing will ever change that. Understand?'

Misty's eyes widened at his intensity, but the corners of her mouth began to curve upwards again. Ash continued, 'I know I'm not exactly famed for my emotional sensitivity, but even if I didn't feel the same way, I would never have just dumped you on the side of the road just because you liked me. Friends don't do that to each other, _ever_, and especially not friends like us.

'And I want you to know that it means a lot to me that you wanted to protect me from Gary. But I never want you putting your own happiness at risk for me again. I don't ever want to be partially responsible for making you unhappy.' Ash's ears began to turn red but he ploughed on regardless. 'Understood?'

A trembling smile began to form on Misty's lips. Her eyes were shining.

'Understood.'

A sudden smile broke out on Ash's face as he felt the weight lift from his shoulders. The change in the mood was tangible, the lingering misunderstandings shattering like breakaway glass. The Ash and Misty who had warred their way through the last week, torn apart by lies and hatred, no longer existed. The specters left only the faintest dark shadow in their wake. There was only Ash and Misty, best friends who had loved each other all along.

Ash's voice was full of warmth and happiness. 'I love you, Misty.'

'I love you too, Ash,' she replied, her eyes glowing.

Ash's heart skipped a beat, and he felt the goofiest smile break out on his face. He'd been waiting seven years to hear that, without even realizing it. It was the happiest moment of his life.

He leaned down, pressing his lips against hers. The contact was brief and sweet, and felt, somehow, like completion of something. Ash didn't know what, but he was glad.

For a moment, they simply sat in silence, smiling as they contemplated each other and the vastness of the situation. Ash was having a hard time getting his head around all that had happened in the last few minutes. A seemingly impassable void had been breached and suddenly he was standing on the other side, staring back at the past as if it was some sort of vague, disturbing dream. Reorienting himself to the truth would take a little time.

Ash cracked a smile as a mental image of Drew, Paul, May and Dawn scheming to get he and Misty back together flashed through his head, and suddenly the reality of the situation hit him like a wreaking ball. He was sitting in a damp, musty cupboard, confessing to the girl he had loved since he was ten years old, while outside, his friends and classmates partied on without the slightest clue. It was surreal, to say the least.

Ash couldn't help it. A small snicker escaped him before he could stifle it. The sight of Misty's expression didn't help either; she was staring at him with a suddenly comical mix of apprehension and horror. An explosive snort burst out of Ash and before he could stop himself, he was roaring with laughter.

Eventually their splutters died off into reluctant composure. Ash massaged his stomach muscles and grinned down at Misty as she wiped her eyes, hoping that she hadn't spoiled her makeup but not really caring if she had.

'I think _you're _the stupid one around here,' Ash said in a hot, throaty whisper, grinning a Misty as he ran a finger lightly down her cheek.

'No way,' Misty shot back flirtatiously. 'You asked out the most horrible girl in humanity!'

'I thought you admitted that I wasn't stupid.'

'Maybe I was a little hasty there.'

'How about we just agree that Gary was the stupid one?'

Misty grinned. 'Perfect.'

Ash shifted into a more comfortable position on the floor, and levered Misty gently into his lap. She giggled, curling up against his chest and sighing contentedly. Ash grinned as he ran his fingers through her silky hair. Suddenly, being shut in a cupboard with Misty didn't seem so bad.

There was a moment of peaceful quiet. 'Ash,' Misty eventually said in a low voice, fiddling nervously with the lacing on Ash's shirt. 'Can you tell me…I mean, when did you…' She trailed off, looking abashed. Ash smiled.

'You wanna know my side of the story, right?' he asked.

Misty nodded, and Ash thought for a moment. It was, of course, her right to know everything that had passed between them, all these years of friendship. It was just that she'd practically confessed to having feelings for him almost since the day they'd met. It embarrassed Ash that it had taken him so long to figure out how he felt about her. If he spoke without thinking, he could really hurt her feelings.

And yet, Ash was determined not to stretch the truth. Misty was the most honest person he knew, and he knew that if he lied, eventually she'd find out the truth. That was just how it went with her – nothing escaped her notice.

And so Ash told her. He talked about their journey together and how, though he'd been utterly taken up with battles and Pokémon and his Pokémon Master dream, he'd valued above all his other friends. He paid particular attention to the times when she'd inspired feelings in him that went beyond the boundaries of even close friendship, but explained that he'd simply been too afraid to ever confront them. He'd buried them, determined to pretend they'd never existed.

After dwelling particularly on their final parting, when it had really hit him for good that she was leaving, Ash went on to describe how much he'd missed her, often without even realizing it. He mentioned how their infrequent phone conversations has buoyed his spirits for days, and how he'd never connected his happiness with those deeper feelings he'd stubbornly ignored. Finally he reached her arrival at Pokémon High, and how he'd been bowled over by the changes in her. And, with no small amount of chagrin, he relived how the Water Show had changed his life forever.

'I guess I really did love you all along,' he pondered, gazing at the low ceiling. 'I just didn't know it. That's what Brock said, anyway. He went on about how he'd always known how I felt about you, and how everyone else knew as well. I still think you're wrong about me not being stupid. I can't believe it took me as long as it did. I must be blind or something.'

Misty snickered, sounding an awful lot more like her usual self, though her eyes were glowing with happiness. 'Well, as I said before, maybe I jumped the gun a little by saying you aren't stupid…I guess I'll spend the next ten years or so observing your conduct in _very _close quarters, just so I can make sure.'

Ash grinned, kissing her nose. He couldn't believe he had his Misty back. It was unreal. 'Did I tell you that I love you yet?'

Misty smirked impishly. 'Yeah…but you can say it again, you know.'

'I love you, Misty Waterflower.'

Misty let out a sigh, her eyes fluttering shut. 'I love you, Ash Ketchum.'

Ash cradled her for a moment longer, utterly content, before a rather uncomfortable thought intruded on his peace. He had one final job to do before he and Misty were official, and as he was embarrassed to say that the concept scared him out of his wits. Of course, Misty's current situation tucked safely in his lap rather pointed to a positive reception, but Ash knew full well that with Misty, things rarely went according to plan. It didn't help that he had no idea how to go about such an inquiry. Before Gary's ploy a plan had been brewing in the back of Ash's mind of how to broach the subject with her, but as it involved several days of softening her up by flattering every Water Pokémon known to man, presenting her with flowers and chocolates at every possible moment and possibly agreeing to clean out the Gym's pool, it was a little beyond his reach right now. Ash took a deep breath. Time to take the plunge.

'Er…Misty?' he began, gulping a little nervously. 'I was wondering, maybe…if you want to go on a date sometime? Er…tomorrow, maybe?'

Misty's head snapped up. Her sweet smile disappeared, to be immediately replaced with disdainful disbelief. It was an expression Ash knew all too well; an expression that was so purely Misty that Ash was too busy enjoying it that he didn't think about the usual consequences that went along with it i.e. a huge argument and a crater sized hole in his head from her stupid mallet.

'That's it?' Misty said incredulously, her tone soaked in its usual sharpness. 'I spill my heart out and you kiss me, and all I get is a freaking lunch date?'

For a moment, Ash could hardly believe what he was hearing. 'Not just a lunch date!' he defended. 'A proper date! I'll even take you to that fancy restaurant in Cerulean you were banging on about!'

Misty's nostril's flared. 'Excuse me, Ash Ketchum, but I do not bang on about things, thank you very much!'

'Uhhh…yes you do,' Ash said in a patronizing voice, getting into the spirit of things. 'You're freaking famous for it! Do the words "you owe me a bike"mean anything to you, hmmm?'

'I did not _bang on_ about it,' Misty sniffed haughtily. 'I merely mentioned it to you occasionally so that it wouldn't escape out of that stupid head of yours!'

Ash snorted. 'Oh yeah?' He affected an angry expression, his voice high pitched in a pathetic impersonation of Misty. 'Ash Ketchum, you ruined my bike! I'm following you because of my bike! You still owe me a bike, Ash! Oh, how I miss my bike, pity you ruined it, Ash!'

'Oh please, look in the mirror already!' Misty scoffed angrily. 'You're the one who couldn't go five minutes without harping on about Pokémon, badges, Gyms, battles, Pokeballs and your stupid Pokémon Master dream! If anyone has a one track mind around here, it's you!'

'Am not! I haven't mentioned Pokémon to you _once _this evening!'

'Ha! You just did!' Misty crowed triumphantly. 'You fell for it! And I actually thought you were smart, Ash Ketchum!'

'That doesn't count, Bike Woman!' Ash snarled.

'Does too!'

'Does not!'

'Does too!'

'Does not!'

'Does too!'

'DOES NOT!'

'DOES TOO!'

'ARGH, YOU ARE SO ANNOYING!'

'NOT AS ANNOYING AS YOU, IDIOT!'

'WELL WHAT ELSE DO YOU FREAKING WANT, WOMAN?'

'I WANT TO BE YOUR GIRLFRIEND, DIMWIT!'

Ash opened his mouth to roar, but whatever sarcastic answer he'd been planning didn't make it past his teeth. He stopped, squinting blankly at Misty like he'd never seen a girl before.

'Oh.' He cocked his head to the side. 'Ohhhh. Well, I, er…sort of thought that was a given. You know, with me declaring my undying love and all that,' he finished sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

Misty looked taken aback by his swift amendment of the situation.

'Uhh… I guess you're right,' she said, looking equally chagrinned. 'I guess I just wanted to make sure so, er…sorry.'

Ash beamed jauntily. 'S'okay. I guess after everything, its okay for you to be a bit paranoid…' He let out a short bark of laughter. 'Look at us, talking things through like the nice, mature adults that we are! We're making progress in our relationship already!'

Misty raised an eyebrow. 'Ash, we were yelling at each other like, five seconds ago.'

'Ah. Well there is that…but we wouldn't be _us _if we didn't argue, would we?'

'Yeah, and it'd be dead boring,' Misty grinned.

Ash grinned back. 'Can't have that, can we now?' he said, his voice dropping to a low, seductive whisper as he leaned back in for another passionate kiss. They were just getting into the swing of a full on make out session when there was a sharp bang on the door.

'Okay, okay, break it up in there, children! I know you're both happy that you've _finally _admitted that you're totally in love, but you're going to get us in trouble with Mrs. Ketchum!'

Misty jerked back from Ash. 'Dawn?' she questioned incredulously, exchanging a nonplussed look with him.

'Hello, Misty.'

'You've been listening the whole time, haven't you?' Ash exploded, his cheeks going red.

'Not quite,' a male voice piped up. 'We left you alone when you were, y'know, about to kill each other. Didn't want blood on our hands.'

'Drew, I swear, when I get out there…'

'Keep that up and we'll leave you in there all night, Ash,' a cool voice interjected.

'Paul,' Ash ground out. 'I should have known. May, you out there too?'

'You think I'd miss this?' she replied in an amused voice.

Ash smacked his hand against his face. 'Who else you got out there, hmm? Mom? Brock? Tracey? Max? Every other person Misty and I met on our journey?'

'No,' Drew replied composedly, 'but I bet they all wish they were here to witness this momentous occasion where two hearts have been joined in love, united in eternal devotion by -'

'Drew, Drew, shut up!' Ash yelped as Misty began to giggle.

'I heard that, Misty,' Dawn cut in. 'Promise you won't kill us if we let you out? After all, we're sort of missing the dance here.'

Ash looked at the girl still wrapped in his arms. 'Well, we do sort of owe them one,' he said fairly.

Misty grinned rakishly. 'Well, we wouldn't want that debt to go unpaid, would we?'

'Er…no?'

Misty chuckled and lowered her voice. 'Here's what we do…'

As Misty and Ash began to whisper together, outside the closet door, Paul, Dawn, May and Drew all exchanged uneasy glances.

'You don't think they're really going to attack us, do you?' May asked in a low voice. 'Misty gets kind of scary when she's mad.'

'Don't worry, I'll protect you,' Drew assured her, puffing out his chest. The other three just stared at him. Drew seemed to realize what he had just said, and began to sweatdrop nervously as May broke out in giggles.

'Uh, I mean -'

'You didn't mean to say that out loud, did you?' Paul cut in with amusement.

'Er, not as such,' Drew mumbled, scuffing the ground with his toe. May giggled harder.

Paul didn't have a chance to reply as Ash suddenly spoke up from behind the cupboard door.

'Okay, let us out and we won't get mad.' Paul frowned. Ash sounded decidedly too smug for his current situation.

'Promise?' Dawn questioned cynically.

'Promise,' Misty said in a warm, trustful voice. The light in the closet clicked off.

There was nothing else for it. Drew stepped forward and turned the key in the lock, and the door swung slowly open.

Misty and Ash emerged slowly from the darkness, their hands firmly entwined. A collective shudder passed through Paul, Drew, Dawn and May as their matching solemn expressions were thrown into stark relief by the harsh hall lights.

For a moment, they all regarded each other in silence.

'We forgive you for shutting us in the cupboard,' Ash began.

'And I forgive you two - ' Misty jabbed a finger at Drew and Paul ' – for telling them,' She jerked her head towards May and Dawn.

'You never told us not to,' Drew defended. 'We were fully within our rights to do so, and it's a good thing we did!'

Misty smiled dangerously, showing a lot of gleaming white teeth. 'I know that better than anyone, Drew. So now, Ash and I intend to return the favor.'

Drew made to reply but fell silent, his forehead creasing as he tried to decipher Misty's cryptic comment. May and Dawn looked at each other in confusion, Dawn shrugging her shoulders helplessly; Paul was the only one who looked alarmed.

Ash and Misty exchanged a dark, glittering glance before turning back to the dumbstruck quartet, smiling pleasantly all the while. May reconciled; there was something very threatening about those two beaming faces.

'Who to begin with?' Ash intoned quietly.

Misty smiled wider. 'Drew.'

'Why's that?'

Misty shrugged easily, her bright eyes dancing as she looked at him. 'He'll be the funniest.'

Ash chuckled quietly, squeezing her hand as he fixed his eyes on Dawn.

'Dawn…' he began in a business-like tone.

Dawn jumped. 'Er…yes?' she replied nervously.

'…my friend Drew likes your friend May.'

There was a moment of stunned silence before everybody exploded. Drew let out an strangled yell, his face turning crimson, before launching into a furious tirade against Ash and his obvious delusional tendencies. Paul made a noise like he was choking. May squeaked wildly, slapping her palms over her face and peering at Drew through her fingers. Dawn shrieked with laughter before stopping short, her face paling as she obviously realized what was inevitably heading her way.

Despite the clamor Ash and Misty ploughed on. 'Paul,' Misty said in a loud voice, 'my friend May likes your friend Drew.'

Everybody turned to look at May. Her entire head resembled a tomato and she was doggedly refusing to look at Drew, who suddenly looked he'd just been hit over the head with something hard.

'Drew,' Misty interrupted; Drew jumped, turning to her with unfocused eyes. 'My friend Dawn likes your friend Paul.'

Dawn's face and neck flushed rosily and she attempted to duck behind May; Paul's expression flickered, before he turned to Ash with a murderous expression.

Ash ignored him. 'May,' he said in an even louder voice. 'My friend Paul -'

'Ash, don't you _dare -_'

' – likes your friend Dawn.'

There was a deadly silence. Paul stared at Ash, stunned that he'd followed through with his plan despite the threat. Dawn peeked out from behind May, eyeing Paul in wonder. Drew and May glanced from Paul to Dawn, their eyes meeting; they both looked hastily away. The echoing silence continued.

Misty smiled in satisfaction, watching all four of her test cases carefully and wondering which would crack under the pressure first. As it turned out, she predicted correctly.

Drew stomped his foot angrily, throwing his hands in the air. 'Fine!' he exploded, glaring furiously at Ash, and then at Misty, before turning to May with a wrathful expression. 'I like you, okay? You're sweet and gorgeous and talented and I can't think of a single guy on the planet who wouldn't be happy to have you, apart from Paul and this idiot.' He indicated Ash with a disdainful jerk.

'Now, if your friend Misty here is lying about you liking me as well, I'll be sure to beat her boyfriend to a pulp, but I'm pretty sure that she's the truthful kind cause she doesn't hesitate to call him stupid. So I'm guessing that you'd be happy to find out that I'd be happy if you'd be my girlfriend, and then we'd both be, er…happy. Together. Okay?'

Drew was panting hard as he finished his spiel, his face even redder than it had been before. May just stared at him blankly, as if she hadn't understood a word he'd said. Then ever so slowly, like sunshine peeping through the clouds, a huge smile broke out on her face. She shrugged with elaborate casualness, her eyes bright with mirth.

'Fine, but only cause you asked so nicely.'

Drew stared at her in disbelief for a second, as if he'd half expected her to slap his face and then flounce off in a huff. Then he let out a laugh, grinning as he stepped towards May, holding out his hand to her. Ash, Dawn and Misty let out a cheer as she accepted it, her face flushing happily as they continued to smile goofily at each other. Ash gave Misty a triumphant high five.

'One down, one to go!' he hissed.

But Misty didn't look like she agreed. As Drew and May settled into a low conversation, alternately smiling and blushing like a couple of school children, things were not running quite so smoothly for Paul and Dawn. Paul had a face like thunder, appearing torn between reshaping Ash's face and dramatically stalking away. Dawn looked just as embarrassed as May had five minutes ago, switching between peering anxiously at Paul, staring at the floor and glaring furiously at Ash and Misty.

Ash knew he needed to do some major damage control. His old rival was famously unpredictable when it came to situations like these, where his emotions were vulnerable – there really was no telling what he would do next. Moreover, Dawn was remarkably similar to the object of her affections in this sphere. Inexperienced and capricious, Ash knew she was just as likely to make a run for it as Paul was. It would take some careful maneuvering to ensure that this clash had the right outcome – and to make sure he didn't get his jaw broken in the process.

But as it turned out, Ash didn't need to say a thing – which was a good thing, as he hadn't the first clue where to begin. It was Dawn who seemed to decide that it was time to take matters in hand. Just as Ash was about to try and placate both of his friends, she shot Drew and May an envious glance, and the sight of their mutual happiness seemed to seal her determination. She swallowed heavily, tossed her head back and took a step forwards.

'Paul?' she asked in an unsteady voice.

Paul's distant expression faltered, and he turned to look at her, his eyes unreadable. Dawn flushed under his gaze and began to wring her hands nervously, but steeling herself, she took a tentative step forward.

'Would you like…umm, would you maybe want to -'

Paul's dark eyes flashed, his face paling. Before Dawn could complete her sentence, he cut her off.

'Dawn,' he stated in a commanding tone. Dawn, preoccupied with stumbling out her request, visibly started, and turned surprised eyes up to his face.

Under the compelling influence of Dawn's penetrating blue eyes, Paul began to fidget in an extremely uncharacteristic manner, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot as she smiled hesitantly.

'Would you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?'

Dawn's mouth dropped open. Paul twitched even more violently, his eyes shifting wildly about as he clearly fought the urge to throw himself in the cupboard that had so recently entrapped Ash and Misty. But he made no move to retract or diminish his request.

Dawn let out a thrilled squeal and leaping forwards, threw her arms around his neck. Paul's eyes almost popped out of his head as she nestled into his chest, sighing contentedly.

'I knew you'd come around,' she said in a muffled voice.

Ash couldn't resist a chuckle, exchanging a delighted glance with his own girlfriend. Trust Dawn to unwittingly hit upon one of Paul's only accessible weaknesses – his manly pride. Unable to stand the thought of being too scared to ask a girl out and equally horrified by the notion of _being_ asked out, Dawn's attempt to secure his company had forced Paul to make sure he got there first. He'd been almost entirely successful, expect for one small thing – his hesitation had not gone unnoticed by his two friends. Ash reflected with glee that this was sure to give him and Drew taunting rights over their admittedly imposing friend for at least the next twenty years or so.

Paul looked in panic from Ash to Drew, his hands hovering awkwardly away from Dawn as if he was afraid to touch her. Ash rolled his eyes and Drew smacked his head in infuriation, and they both began to make what they assumed to be helpful gestures. Ash pointed vaguely from Paul to Dawn, making a sort of circling motions with his arms, while Drew jabbed his finger at Dawn's hair, waving his hands around and mouthing something absolutely incoherent. Misty and May dissolved into silent giggles.

After several seconds of getting nowhere, it was Misty who came to Paul's rescue. Elbowing her idiotic boyfriend in the ribs, she strode forward and unbeknownst to Dawn, seized Paul's hands and clamped them around Dawn's waist. Dawn let out a contented sigh. A small smile began to tug at the corners of Paul's lips. Misty stuck her tongue out at Drew, who pouted.

There was a couple of seconds of almost awkward silence as Misty, Ash, Drew and May watched Paul and Dawn embrace, before Ash cleared his throat.

'Er, perhaps we should go back to the dance,' he suggested pointedly. PDA was something he knew he'd have to get used to, but it seemed a little early to begin.

Paul, who was busy playing with one of Dawn's stray curls, scowled heavily at Ash over the top of her head, but got the message. He drew back and smiling broadly, offered her his hand instead. She accepted it eagerly, beaming up at him.

Ash suppressed another explosive burst of laugher; seeing Paul so demonstrative was just plain weird.

He turned to Misty. 'Come on Mist, let's get going.'

Misty cocked an eyebrow. 'Keen to get your dancing shoes on, Ash?' she teased.

Ash chuckled. 'Yeah, but first, I think my right foot has an appointment with a certain someone's face, if you know what I mean.

Misty immediately caught Ash's drift, and grinned. 'Well, I wouldn't want to make you late for that, would I?' she quipped, grabbing Ash's hand and tugging him in the direction of the Appeal Complex. May, Drew, Dawn and Paul quickly followed suit.

The dance was still jumping when they got back to the Appeal Complex. But Ash wasn't interested in dancing just yet. He had a score to settle first.

He quickly scanned the packed room, but it didn't take him long to find what he was looking for. Gary Oak was standing right in the middle of the dance floor, looking uncomfortably alone in the middle of a ten foot circle of empty space. But Gary didn't seem too bothered by the fact that the rest of the students were avoiding him like the plague. He was too busy watching Ash and company approach.

The music faltered as Ash strode forwards, cape swinging; the crowd parted like water under the force of his stony expression. His steps were slow and purposeful as he drew closer to his adversary, until only a handful of paces separated them. For a moment, they simply stared at each other, the air between them crackling like electricity. Ash could almost hear the cogs in Gary's head spinning.

Misty stepped up to Ash's side, never taking her eyes from her quarry, and May, Drew, Dawn and Paul flanked them on either sides, all four of them staring at Gary like he was something the cat had dragged in. Ash let out a tense breath. His friends were here with him, and that was all that mattered.

Gary's expression flickered oddly, and he took an unconscious step backwards. Ash grinned evilly, lightly cracking his knuckles.

'You are _so _dead, Oak.'

For the first time it seemed to dawn on Gary exactly what he was facing. His eyes widened and he glanced wildly around as if praying that help would materialize in front of his nose, something struck Ash as odd. The cluster of high pitched females that usually shadowed Gary's every move was distinctly absent. Ash just hoped they wouldn't leap in front of the object of their affections at the last minute; he had no desire to hit a girl.

Ash shook the thought from his head and stepped forward, advancing on his enemy. It was too much for Gary to take. Without a word in his own defense he, behaving intelligently for perhaps the first time in his life, clearly decided that now was the time to cut his losses and make a break for it. Turning sharply on his heel he dove headfirst into the masses of people crowded around watching the scene unfold with bright eyed interest, hissing obscenities at everyone who dared get in his way. Ash started after him, but it was too late; he'd already disappeared. Ash saw the exit doors flapping.

'Where'd he go?' Misty yelled wildly, staring around.

Ash hesitated, debating his next course of action. He could chase Gary down and give him the beating he so soundly deserved, and he knew a couple of people who would be more than willing to lend a hand. But Gary could be anywhere by now. If he gave chase, it would mean missing the dance. Ash smiled, decision made.

'I don't know, Misty, and I don't really care.'

'What?' Misty yelped. 'You're just going to let him get away with it?'

'No,' Ash replied, smiling widely at her venom; Misty was gorgeous when she got mad, as long as her temper was directed at someone else. 'It's just that I'm not going to gain anything by slugging Gary in the face right now, apart from a notice of expulsion. And poor boyfriend I'd be if I let you do the same.'

A small smile appeared on Misty's face; it was the first time Ash had referred to himself as a boyfriend. 'Fine,' she conceded reluctantly. 'I guess you're right. It would be nice to decapitate that jerk and all, but it wouldn't be much good if we got ourselves kicked out of Pokémon High.'

'That's my girl,' Ash said proudly, wrapped an arm around her waist. 'And anyway….' He grinned wickedly. 'Who says I can't sort Gary out off school property? They can't expel me then.'

Misty burst out laughing. 'Now that's my man,' she giggled, giving him a high five. 'We're already outsmarted Gary once, I'm sure we can do it again!'

'Those Oaks can't match the Ketchum genius,' Ash said smugly, puffing out his chest. Misty snorted derisively.

'Ash, remember I said I'd suspended my opinion on your brain power? Well you're not doing yourself any favors here.'

'Enough about Ash's intellect,' Drew said, butting into their conversation. 'We need to celebrate! We just bested the so called might Gary Oak! How about a proper tribute to the situation, eh?'

'Er, what did you have in mind?' Ash said nervously. Drew was prone to some pretty random ideas.

'Group hug!' Drew yelled, seizing the nearby Paul and dragging him forwards. 'Come on, come on, you lazy lot, this is a party! It's time to have some fun!'

Ash was in the middle of protesting when May appeared out of nowhere and hustled he and Misty forwards, beaming over Ash's head at her boyfriend. Within seconds the two Coordinators had clamped their four friends into a very tight embrace, right in the middle of the dance floor. Ash grinned as Drew began hollering and cheering like a football player; he had to admit, it was kind of fun.

'Well, this is awkward,' Paul commented sarcastically as he extracted his head from Drew's arm pit.

'Oh, you love it,' Drew replied dismissively, tightening his grip on Paul's neck and grinning.

Paul deigned to reply, though he did manage a grudging smile.

'And this is only the beginning,' Drew continued proudly. 'I took the liberty of preparing a small musical piece, in case our plan should succeed – though of course I knew it would,' he added quickly, catching sight of Dawn's dangerous expression.

'Oh no, Drew, please, spare us - ' Ash started, but it was too late. Drew grinned mischievously, threw his head back and broke out into a loud chorus of 'We Are the Champions' embellishing the song with many of his own lyrics, all of which related to Gary's stupidity, Gary's pigheadedness, Gary's general failure at life and as a person, etc. etc.

Ash couldn't help it. For the second time that evening, he began to laugh. It was perhaps the funniest thing he'd ever heard, and soon everyone was joining in with spirit, contributing lyrics when Drew's memory or imagination failed him – even Paul, who suggested a diamond of a line comparing the size of Gary's overblown head to that of a Snorlax's behind. By the time they'd reached the chorus for the third time, Ash could barely breathe, he was laughing so much.

'Drew should be a comedian!' Misty gasped, leaning on Ash for support.

'Are you kidding me? He'd probably insult someone important and get himself arrested!' Ash replied with a grin. 'And believe me, you haven't heard anything yet!'

Misty made to reply but their conversation was interrupted as a squabble seemed to be breaking out between May and Dawn. Drew and Paul had backed away and made no move to interrupt their girlfriends; wise if they hoped to escape unscathed.

But Misty had no such qualms. 'What's going on?' she asked.

'I don't know!' May shot back. 'But what I want to know is, where's Gary's fan club? I thought they'd be all over him like a rash by now. They've been plotting your murder for weeks!'

Misty raised an eyebrow. 'That's nice and all, but what's this got to do with Dawn?'

Dawn shrugged, pointing to a group of girls in the corner. They were among the skimpiest dressed in the room, and Misty recognized almost all of them as the girls who usually stalked Gary's every move. But their usual gleeful expressions were nowhere to be seen as the gossiped frantically among themselves. In fact, they all looked a little nauseated.

Misty heard a quietly satisfied chuckle from beside her and stiffening, her head snapped so sharply to the side that she almost cricked her neck. Ignoring the twinge she narrowed her eyes at her friend as Dawn continued to watch the scandalized girls with a positively evil look on her face.

She'd only seen that smirk on Dawn's face a few times in the course of their short friendship and it never boded well.

'Dawn?' she questioned sharply. 'What did you do?'

Dawn squeaked, jerking out of her satisfied observations. She eyed Misty guiltily, who groaned.

'Dawn, what did you do?' she repeated

'Nothing!' Dawn squeaked.

'Then _why _wasn't Gary's posse swarming over him like bees when he was free and dateless?' May demanded

Dawn looked sheepish, glancing anxiously at Paul. 'Er, I _might _have mentioned something them…'

'And what did you tell them?' Misty said dangerously.

Dawn shifted uncomfortably. 'I just said that he had, er, problems,' she muttered.

'Problems? What sort of problems?' May bit back acidly.

'Er, problems, uhhh, y'know…down there.' Dawn flushed as she made a vague downward gesture.

'Down there?' May squawked, going red.

'Care to clarify?' Drew said with interest.

Dawn stamped her foot, embarrassment overcome with irritation. '_Fine!_' she huffed in exasperation. 'I told them Gary had a horrible infectious disease and if they went anywhere near him they'd get it too. Happy now?'

Several mouths dropped open in horror. Paul looked almost pleased at the extent his girlfriend had been willing to go to in order to secure the success of the plan.

'Dawn, what the hell were you thinking?' May gasped. 'If Gary finds out what you said he'll kill you!'

Paul snorted. 'I'd like to see him try.'

'Oh come on, May,' Dawn said briskly. 'I knew that if Misty left Gary alone for five seconds those _girls _would be all over him! The plan didn't cover that part, so I just sort of improvised – and you have to admit, Gary running away dateless alone was a lot more impressive that him just picking up with some other girl!'

May paused, eyeing Dawn cryptically. 'Oh Mew, you got the STD thing from _Mean Girls_ as well, didn't you?' she burst out suddenly as the realization hit her.

Dawn shrugged innocently. 'Worked, didn't it?'

'And er, just what _else _was it you got from _Mean Girls_, Dawn?' Paul murmured, eyeing his girlfriend speculatively.

Dawn shrugged. 'The idea for our super hot costumes, of course, and - '

She was interrupted as May burst out laughing. 'You've seen _Mean Girls_, Paul?' she hooted. 'Something you want to tell us?'

Drew and Ash immediately sprang away from Paul, staring at him in alarm. Paul jerked his head haughtily, though his cheeks were tinged with pink. 'I'll have you know that I have many female cousins, and - '

'That's not gay at _all,_' Drew cut in sarcastically.

'Dude. Seriously. _Mean Girls_?' Ash said in disbelief.

'Maybe you should join us on our next girl's night,' Misty giggled.

'We could do your nails,' May offered.

'No thank you,' Paul interrupted, glaring at the still snickering Ash and Paul dangerously. They both fell silent.

May cleared her throat, looking a little alarmed; she still hadn't gotten used to Paul's intimidating mannerisms. 'Ahem. Well, I just can't get over them believing you, Dawn. They mustn't have two brain cells to rub together.

'I know, I couldn't believe it worked,' Dawn replied. 'They really are as stupid as they look. It's sad really.'

Misty was only half listening; she glanced up at the clock on the wall. 'Look, there's only an hour left of the dance, guys,' she exclaimed. 'We're wasting time here.'

'Good point,' Dawn said immediately. She seized Paul by the arm. 'Come on, you lot, let's dance!'

Paul obediently followed, but Dawn did not quite get what she was expecting. Instead of busting out into a wild pop and lock that would have matched the funky beat, Paul bowed stiffly, offering Dawn his hand. Nonplussed, Dawn accepted it, and before she knew it she was gliding around the dance floor in a perfect fox trot, Paul's feet moving with impeccable skill as he led them in the steps.

Ash's jaw almost hit the ground. He knew that Paul came from a snobby sort of family, but he'd never once imagined that Paul's early education had included ballroom dancing.

Drew, on the other hand, took a different approach. He dragged May to a spot right below the disco ball and shooing away nearby couple so that he'd 'have enough space to groove,' Drew proceeded to break it down in a way that would have put John Travolta to shame. May could do nothing but stare as he shimmied and jived with a flair that made her realize just where his Pokémon got their grace and skill. But right in the middle of an elaborate twist that almost flattened a couple that had strayed too close, Drew grabbed May. The rest was history.

Ash turned quickly away as May was whirled in a circle above her partner's head, hoping that Drew's fervor wouldn't end with a trip to the emergency room for his female friend. He looked at Misty, and simply grinned.

'Wanna dance, Misty?'

'I thought you'd never ask, Ash.'

Ignoring the fast paced beat Ash reached out and pulled her close, allowing her to tangle her arms around his neck. Misty sighed contentedly closing her eyes as they began to sway gently backwards and forwards. She was so busy nestling into Ash's embrace that she didn't see all the people watching them and smiling.

'Did you dance with Daisy?' she asked suddenly.

'Er – no, I didn't actually,' Ash replied, surprised by her sudden inquiry; the truth was, he'd forgotten all about Daisy. 'I was too busy stalking you and getting attacked by Drew and Paul to get to that. Why do you ask?'

Misty grinned into Ash's chest. 'No reason.'

'Speaking of Daisy…I wonder where she went,' Ash said uneasily, glancing around.

Misty drew back, her smile disappearing at the mention of Ash's date. 'Actually, I haven't seen her either, not since we got back.' She glanced around, but Daisy's Playboy Bunny ears indeed seemed to have disappeared from the crowd.

'Er, I think I sort of owe her an apology,' Ash said even more uncomfortably. 'I did, er, sort of use her, after all.'

As much as Misty disliked Daisy, she had to agree. 'I guess you're right,' she sighed.

'I would just go and get it over with, but I don't think she'd here, Mist. Maybe she saw us and did a runner like Gary.'

'Well maybe you'll find the right moment at school on Monday, Ash,' Misty suggested.

Ash nodded slowly. 'She _is _sort of a mean, stuck up, spoiled brat, isn't she?'

Misty nodded wisely, trying not to smile. 'That she is, Ash,' she replied. She looked thoughtfully up at her boyfriend, taking in his intricately decorated gloves, hat tipped at a rakish angle over his messy black hair and sweeping black cape. 'And I never got to ask you – who are you meant to be? The cape is very dashing, by the way. I like it.'

'I forgot that you wouldn't recognize it. I'm Sir Aaron – remember I told you about him, the guy who's Aura is the same as mine? With the Lucario?'

'Of course I remember – the medieval hero who saved his country, right?'

Ash nodded, smiling affectionately down at her. 'I should have known you'd remember.'

Misty sighed, leaning forward into Ash's arms. 'Well tonight, you're _my _hero, Ash Ketchum.'

* * *

Awww! Don't you just love them? ^^

One chapter to go, people…what am I going to do when this story is finished?

If you want to see the fanart that **waterfalls **so kindly created, just go to my profile – the address is at the bottom, just cut and paste it into your toolbar. Feel free to comment on it! Oh, and if anyone knows how to turn it into an actual link, please let me know!

Review Replies:

**Steveaaml**, the review you left was one of the best I have ever received. Thank you so, so much for putting in the time to quote all your favorite parts, because that's the sort of input that helps me become a better writer. You rock :D **CrystalGurl101 **you continue to rock my world. Your enthusiasm helps me strive to be even better. To all you other lovely, lovely people, just know that no matter how brief, your input is appreciated. I couldn't have gotten this far without you all. Love 3


	25. Epilogue: All For One

Hey peeps and peepettes!

Bet you all thought I'd fallen off the face of the earth, huh? I know, I know – this chapter is WAY overdue. But I don't want you to think that I don't care about this story, or that I don't care about you, my reader, so please allow me to explain myself as far as I can.

These last few months have been an emotional rollercoaster. I won't go into specifics, being more than a little wary of stalkers, but just know that it involved a very unwilling intercontinental move. I was just overloaded, physically and emotionally; distracted, stressed and above all, unhappy.

I am not Jane Austen. Despite my very best efforts, I discovered that I cannot write something like this under those sorts of circumstances, and the truth is, I didn't even want to. You see, this chapter is Ash and Misty's final hurrah, their happy ending. It is the culmination of a year's hard work on my part, and I wanted to give them the sending off that they so richly deserve. But my own life was in such an upheaval that I couldn't see though it to focus on the end of their story. What I was producing just wasn't good enough.

But in the end, I am so glad that I waited, because I love this chapter. I am so, so proud of it. I have regained my peace and happiness, and it is reflected here in my writing. This is Ash and Misty's goodbye as it was meant to be experienced, not the patchy, weak excuse for a chapter you would have received a month ago. This might not mean a lot to you, but if you saw the truly terrible drafts I labored over, you might change your mind. You all mean too much to me for me to insult you with any less than my best.

Perhaps now is the time I should announce what is essentially my retirement from hardcore fanfiction. I spoke of a sequel for a while, but after much thought I have decided to end things here. I just have too many other commitments and I would never want to start something I couldn't finish. I also have so many of my own ideas that I want to pursue; things that perhaps might once see publication. Don't worry – I might be giving up FF, but I will never stop writing.

This chapter is dedicated to **IrresistableAshGirl **for gifting me with my second ever piece of fan art. The link is on my profile so check it out - it totally rocks!

Now I lift the curtain for the final time and present to you the last ever installment of All For One…enjoy, my lovely readers!

Epilogue: All for One

The early morning sun slid quietly through the window, speckled by the swaying trees casting their long, pearly shadows across the outside of the house. Ash's eyes fluttered open. He blinked, watching the patches of light chase each other across the ceiling as he tried to remember why he felt so happy.

And he was happy, of that he was sure. An excited swirl pulsed through his body, making his finger tips tingle with anticipation, and he was pretty sure that if the ceiling had a mirror, he'd see his own face staring back at him with an embarrassingly goofy smile. But his brain, groggy from the late night before, was having trouble processing the flood of information that had engulfed his waking mind. Images of the previous day clicked through his head: accepting the Sir Aaron costume from Dawn, Gary's Nidoking lying in a blackened heap, his mother's smothering hug of congratulations, eavesdropping on Drew and Paul's conversation in his first class, Misty's Azumarrill costume…

Ash snorted out loud at his own stupidity. How could he have possibly forgotten, even if it had only been for a split second?

A little growl cut Ash's chuckle short, along with a sizzling sound that Ash would have recognized in his sleep. He propped himself up on his elbows, staring at the little fluffy ball on the end of his bed. But Pikachu didn't seem to have fully awoken, despite the strands of electricity crackling along his long black tipped ears. Ash was glad; his little friend greatly objected to being woken early, and was not averse to giving his disturbers a sharp shock by way of disgruntled morning greeting.

Ash slumped back down on his pillow and stretched, allowing his limbs to sprawl across the narrow bed. He was still grinning foolishly; in fact, the irrepressible smile felt like it was now a permanent feature on his face. Ash honestly felt that nothing would ever bother him again.

I have a girlfriend, Ash thought giddily. And her name is Misty Waterflower. He shook his head in disbelief. After a week that would undoubtedly linger as the worst of his life, it was so bizarre and yet so wonderful to know that things had miraculously turned out so perfectly. And by perfect, he meant red haired, pale skinned and ocean eyed. For Ash, perfect didn't get more real than that.

The square of sunlight crept across his bedroom floor, but Ash paid it no attention. He was busy, immersed in recollections of the evening before. He reveled in every detail; every flash of her eyes, every flick of her hair, every smile, every laugh. She was beautiful through and through, and Ash was determined not to forget a single instant of her love.

Ash was just wondering if it would look uncool to turn up three hours early for their eight o'clock date, as he wasn't sure if he could go nine whole hours without seeing her, when a sharp rap on his door jolted him to attention.

'Ash?' Delia's voice wafted through the door, unusually sharp. 'Are you awake?'

'Mom? Yeah, I'm up,' Ash replied, looking anxiously down at his Pokémon. One of Pikachu's eyes cracked open but to Ash's relief, he looked too relaxed to fry someone's brains.

'Ash, you have a…_visitor_. You'd better come downstairs.'

Before Ash could reply, Delia's light tread could be heard retreating towards the staircase. Shrugging, Ash got to his feet, firmly quelling the immediate rush of excitement that suggested it could be Misty. He knew that was impossible - it was her weekend to run the Gym. There was no way she could sneak a visit before their date that night. If Ash's calculations were correct, his new girlfriend was probably destroying some cocky young Trainer at that very minute.

Ash grabbed some clothes and hastily running a hand through his messy hair, he left Pikachu to snooze. He barely gave the mysterious "visitor" a thought. Tracey lived just down the road and since Ash was always interested in research that covered Pokémon attacks or battle statistics, he often came around to share his findings with his younger friend. He was not the only one who made himself at home in the Ketchum residence - Drew and Paul were great favorites with his mother and consequently, were forever turning up at his house for Saturday morning breakfast. May and Dawn were also frequent guests, though they tended to have the manners to call before landing on his front door step expecting to be fed.

Of course, if Ash's thoughts hadn't been occupied with a certain redhead, he might have noticed the odd manner in which his mother had used to announce his visitor. Usually she just fed his friends and waited for him to wake up in his own time.

Ash ambled into the kitchen, but to his surprise, there was no sign of anyone but his mother. She was beating pancake batter as if it had misbehaved and required strict discipline.

'Who's here, Mom?' Ash yawned lazily.

Delia slammed a pan down on the stovetop. 'He's on the front doorstep. I wouldn't let him in the house.'

Ash's eyebrow's shot up. Delia was the model of hospitality, happily fielding visits from all his friends at any time of day or night. He couldn't recall a single instance where she hadn't invited a caller inside.

Ash opened his mouth but catching sight of his mother's disapproving expression, he decided that it would be easier – and safer – to go and talk to the poor unknown person himself. He retreated quietly from the kitchen, trying to think of some excuse to explain away his mother's sudden rudeness to whoever was waiting for him. Seizing the handle, he jerked it open and peered curiously outside.

What he got was a very nasty surprise.

'Gary!' Ash yelled, starting backwards with horror.

Gary didn't look good. His face was pale and clammy, with dark circles under his eyes. His hair was perfectly styled in its usual sharp spikes, but it was streaked with fading, muddy red dye from the night before. And then there was his expression. He was staring at Ash with mutinous resentment written all over his face.

Several things clicked into place in Ash's head. It was obvious now why his mother had been so testy. When he'd come in the night before Delia had immediately noticed his chipper strut, and demanded to know the cause of such an emotional upswing. Ash had ended up summarizing the events of the previous week for her, and though he hadn't given her many details about Gary's plot, the little he'd spilled would be enough to keep Gary languishing on the doorstep for the next ten years.

No, what Ash couldn't figure out was what on earth Gary would want from him.

'Uhhh…Ash? Still in there?'

Ash snapped out of his reverie. 'What the hell are you doing here?' he said harshly.

Gary snorted. 'I'm here to enjoy your precious company, Ash,' he replied, his voice dripping sarcasm.

A hundred sharp comebacks burned through Ash's brain but he held his tongue. He didn't have to take this crap from Gary any more, and he wasn't going to give his defeated rival the satisfaction of seeing him lose his temper. He took a deep breath.

'Whatever,' he replied indifferently, making to close the door in Gary's face.

'Wait,' Gary said quickly, grabbing at the door. Ash paused, eyebrow raised; Gary sighed, running a hand through his hair. 'I'm here because Gramps made me come.'

Ash was surprised. It had been a long, long time since Professor Oak had forced Gary into calling at the Ketchum house. Gary continued, 'Er, I was unfortunate enough to go straight home after the dance, and –

'You mean you were stupid enough,' Ash interrupted flatly.

Gary's acted as if Ash hadn't spoken, continuing a little louder than before. 'And when I got home, Grandpa insisted on getting a full account of the evening, since Daisy had come in half an hour earlier in floods of tears.' His eyes bored accusingly into Ash.

Ash shifted uncomfortably. He knew it was extremely unlikely that Daisy would cry over anything but a broken nail, but there was no escaping the fact that he hadn't treated her very nicely. Of course, she hadn't treated him very well either, but that didn't stop him from feeling less than a gentleman.

Gary cleared his throat. 'So as Daisy had already informed him of my…idea involving your new girlfriend, he wasn't, er, very happy with me. So he sent me here.' Gary looked like he'd just swallowed a lemon. 'To…apologize.'

Ash's mouth dropped open. Gary Oak, whose DNA seemed to made of nothing but spite, arrogance and narcissism, was apologizing. To him, Ash Ketchum. It was unbelievable.

But then, Ash reflected, not as hard to believe as the crazy plot he put together to ruin my life and Misty's.

Ash's expression changed and Gary watched warily, but he was too late. Ash drew himself up to his full height, snapped his arm back and punched Gary straight in the mouth

Gary staggered backward with a gasp, clutching his fingers to his face and staring up at Ash in disbelief. He straightened slowly, gingerly running his fingers over the bruise already blooming along his jawbone. He looked at Ash, grudging respect creeping into his eyes for the first time since they'd arrived at Pokémon High as a trickle of blood ran down his chin.

'Er…I might have deserved that,' he muttered.

'Yes, yes you did,' Ash said, flashing a dangerous smile. 'But you ain't seen _nothing_ yet.'

xxxxxxxxx

'Misty! Misty, are you, like, okay?' Daisy cried, rushing into the room.

Violet and Lily turned from the closet just in time to see their youngest sister sink dizzily into a chair.

'Oh Misty!' Violet cried, hurrying over. 'Are you…wait,' she frowned, leaning back and surveying Misty critically. 'Lily, did you, like, forget to put blush on her or something? She's as white as a sheet!'

'Of course I didn't forget blush, Violet! That's, like, a crime! It's not my fault she's pale!'

'Of course she's pale, she's hyperventilating or something!' Daisy leaned forward, placing a hand on Misty's forehead. 'Misty, are you going to be sick? Lily, get her some water or something…no, not to throw on her, you'll ruin her make up! To drink!'

'M'fine,' Misty gasped. 'I'll be okay!'

'What are we going to do?' Violet cried, wringing her hands. 'I don't know anything about sick people!'

'Yes you do, you idiot!' Daisy sighed, fanning Misty with a spare fashion magazine. 'You took first aid training before you became a Gym Leader, remember?'

'Yeah, but that didn't exactly tell you what to do when your little sister goes faint at the prospect of her first date!'

'M'not faint!' Misty protested weakly, but Violet ignored her.

'In fact - ' she continued as if Misty hadn't spoken, reaching over and snatching the copy of _Cosmopolitan _out of Daisy's hand, ' – _this_ would probably give you better advice on how to deal with pre-boy nerves than any first aid manual!'

Daisy rolled her eyes as Violet began feverishly scanning the contents of the magazine, and turned back to her sister.

'Feeling any better, Misty?' she asked in concern.

Misty nodded jerkily. She really was; it was just that with the passing of the nausea, the embarrassment was kicking in. They might be concerned now, but her sisters were never going to let her forget this - she was sure of that. 'I'm _fine. _Really. Who was that at the door, anyway?'

Daisy shrugged. 'Late challenger. I told him to come back tomorrow.'

Misty nodded, silently cursing the innocent Trainer who'd almost made her heart stopped with his badly timed visit. Her thoughts were interrupted as Lily returned with a martini glass full of water.

'Here,' she said proudly. 'I even found you some Ibprofen!'

Misty briefly contemplated refusing, but Lily's hopeful expression was too hard to resist. 'Er, thanks,' she muttered, accepting the glass.

'Yeah, cause pain medicine is definitely going to help right now,' Daisy inserted sarcastically.

'I don't _need _help!' Misty intoned furiously, unheeded.

'I was just trying to help - ' Lily began in an offended voice before Violet cut her off.

'I found something!' she cried excitedly, flapping the glossy pages. '"How To Release Your Inner Temptress!"'

'Violet, please, I - '

Too late. Misty let out a silent groan as Violet launched into an excited recitation of the article, squealing over the juicy parts.

She should have known better than to accept help from her older siblings. Sure, she'd been more than grateful when Daisy offered to take over the late afternoon shift at the Gym, leaving her more time to get ready, but allowing Lily and Violet to give her a pre date makeover was definitely pushing her luck.

It wasn't that they'd done a bad job – just the opposite, in fact, as was to be expected from Sensational Sisters. Her makeup was light and natural, and they'd spent forever arranging her hair into a casually disarrayed messy bun. It was the fact that they insisted on giving a two hour monologue on the importance of first dates that really bugged her.

'This is the most important night of your life, Misty.'

'Your whole life hinges on this one evening.'

'First dates set the tone of the whole relationship. Everything you do tonight counts.'

'Boys like to feel like they're in control, but don't let him walk all over you - '

' – but do let him have a say. Just don't be a pushover - '

' – but don't be stubborn either. Misty, are you listening?'

'Misty, this is, like, important, you know.'

It was enough to leave anyone in tears. By the time they turned their attention to her attire, Misty's gratitude to them for making her beautiful had more than worn off. She was just about to kick off one of her famous 'shut up before I kill you all' tantrums, when the doorbell rang. Then suddenly passing out on the floor seemed like a much safer option than going on an actual date with Ash Ketchum.

Daisy smiled a little as Misty's face began to lose its greenish tinge. 'I didn't put you down as a first date fainter, Misty,' she teased. 'It's not like you and Ash didn't get up to _plenty _last night.'

Misty's eyes narrowed, more color flooding her cheeks. 'And how would you know that, Daisy?' she asked frostily, her voice still hazy.

'We watched from the upstairs window when he dropped you off last night,' Lily said cheerfully, accepting Misty's empty glass and setting it on the make up table. 'Actually, forget everything we said this afternoon. You probably don't have anything to worry about. He seems plenty keen enough already.'

Misty growled. 'I am actually contemplating setting my Gyarados on you all. I know I've never been on a date before but there was no need to scare me half to death with all that crap.'

Violet shrugged. 'Big sister prerogative. It's our, like, job to pass on wise instruction - '

'Wise instruction?' Misty interrupted incredulously.

Violet shrugged. 'Hey, this is the first time you've ever needed it. You've always been the one to do things first – leave home, train decent Pokémon - '

'Meet a, like, genuinely nice boy, win school tournaments…' Lily chimed in.

'Tracey's nice!' Daisy interjected huffily.

'Hmph,' Misty mumbled with a scowl, but her temper was mollified. She wasn't about to admit it, but she couldn't help but be touched – it was rare that her sisters acknowledged any of her achievements outside the Sensational Sisters. She glanced between the three faces, all smiling fondly back at her, and coughed awkwardly.

'Er…'

'Time to get dressed!' Daisy cried suddenly, glancing at the clock. 'Now Violet, what are our options? Where is he taking her?...'

Twenty minutes later the doorbell rang again, but this time Misty was ready. She steadied her frayed nerves and with a final glance at the stranger in the mirror, she wobbled down the stairs and swung open the front door.

It was Ash. He was dressed in an actual shirt and tie with khakis and a sports coat, the smartest outfit Misty had ever seen him in. His hair looked like it had been slicked with copious amounts of hair product but it still refused to lie flat, standing up in its usual style of all over the place. He was clutching a vast bunch of yellow and orange tulips, and it appeared that his jaw had come unstuck from the rest of his face.

Misty was sure she'd never get tired to striking Ash dumb. It was clear that her sisters had made the right choice with a raspberry satin cocktail dress, chunky necklace and silver heels. She smiled nervously, praying to Arceus that Ash would never find out about her little fainting spell. It seemed so silly now. How could she have ever worried about being with Ash?

Ash cleared this throat. 'Hello, Misty,' he said thickly, blinking.

Misty smiled, and Ash's eyes widened. 'Hey Ash,' she said. 'Are these for me?'

'Uhhh, yeah,' he mumbled, flushing as he shoved the bouquet into her hands. Misty felt a lump form in her throat as she stared down at the flowers, admiring them. No one had ever given her flowers before.

'Thanks,' she said softly, grinning happily.

Ash grinned back, gratified that his gesture had gone over so well. 'My pleasure.'

'I'll look after those for you, Misty,' Daisy said briskly, appearing conveniently out of nowhere and whisking the flowers out of Misty's hands. 'They're beautiful! Oh, hey Ash – don't you look handsome!'

'Hey Daisy,' Ash replied. '…uhh, hey Lily, hey Violet,' he tacked on warily as Misty's other sisters popped out from behind the doorframe, ogling him gleefully.

'Oooh, Misty, how are you going to keep your hands off _that?_' Violet said wickedly.

Misty hissed like an angry Seviper, making a swipe at her older sister, but Violet dodged easily out of her reach. 'You should have seen her just a couple of minutes ago, Ash,' she continued in a singsong voice. 'She was just _dying _to see you!'

'Yeah, practically _fainting_ with anticipation!' Lily added with a smirk.

Ash looked quite chuffed at this sliver of inside information, but Misty was less than pleased. She snatched her clutch from Daisy's outstretched hand and ignoring her oldest sister's cringe, slammed the door in Lily and Violet's laughing faces. She could still hear them giggling as she pushed past Ash and stomped down the front path.

Misty growled as she heard Ash's footsteps following her. 'Don't even _think_ about _ever_ – '

Ash seized her arm, jerked her around and kissed her firmly on the mouth.

Misty's knees knocked together, her embarrassment disappearing in a puff of smoke. Ash took advantage of her absent moment, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer.

Several quiet minutes passed before he leaned back with a grin.

'Let's roll, Misty Mermaid,' he murmured, offering her his hand.

Misty's eyes were still hazy as she clasped his hand and let him lead her helplessly away.

xxxxx

Ash burst through the doors of Pokémon High, grinning so widely that several passers by worried that his face was about to split in two. Truth be told though, he really did have plenty to smile about.

To begin with, Ash's first date with Misty had gone entirely to plan. Ash had checked a map so he didn't have any problems locating Ruby's the exclusive restaurant he'd promised to take her to – which was a good thing, because Misty still seemed to be recovering from their little embrace by her front gate. The place was in the chic area of downtown and even fancier than Ash had expected. The lofty building was striking enough on the outside, with the name scrawled in loopy cursive above the towering front doors, but inside it was even more impressive. Vaulted ceilings with elegantly scrolled edges ran into lavishly decorated walls, with silk laden tables scattered across the shiny mahogany floor. The room flickered with candlelight, the strains of a live quartet wafting down from the gallery.

Ash gave his name to the maitre'd and Misty appeared thrilled when he steered them to their table and presented them with their menus. The spent many minutes mulling over the delights on offer, but eventually they made their selections and settled down to conversation – something Ash and Misty had never been short of. A blow by blow account of their triumphant double victory took them through the starters, and the main course was spent deliberating over the best way to punish Gary for his behavior. Ash thought tying him to a railroad track was particularly fitting, but Misty favored throwing him into a shark infested pool. Eventually they agreed he deserved both.

Then came the dessert course. Misty's chocolate cheesecake was innocent enough, but when Ash's banana split arrived he made the mistake of telling an X-rated joke about whipped cream. Misty laughed so hard she almost choked on her ice cream. The sight of her snorting through a mouthful of pie was too much for Ash to bear, and within seconds they were both doubled over their desserts. After an irate waiter visited their table three times and dropped several non-too subtle hints about throwing them out, Ash decided that they'd better leave before they were arrested.

After a short stroll through downtown Cerulean, enjoying the fancy shop windows and the lights and music spilling out of clubs and bars, Ash asked Misty what she wanted to do.

Misty considered for a moment, cocking her head to the side.

'Actually, I wanna kick your butt at something,' Misty informed him with a grin, 'so I guess we could go bowling.'

Ash stared at her for a moment, and then burst out laughing. 'I should have known you'd say something like that.'

With Misty directing it didn't take long to find the Cerulean Bowl-A-Rama, and Ash even remembered to get the car door for her when they found a parking space. But as he led her inside the bright, modern building, Ash suddenly remembered why you never saw people in movies go bowling on their first dates. The place was packed. With teenagers crowding the lanes, yelling excitedly at each other over the blaring rap music and crash of falling pins, it wasn't exactly where you'd picture holding an intimate conversation.

Misty didn't seem to mind. Her eyes gleamed as she stared eagerly around, head bopping along to the music. She turned to Ash with an impish grin.

'Five bucks says I win the first game.'

'Ten says I get the first strike!'

'Done.'

'You are so going down, Waterflower.'

'Oh you wish, Ketchum!'

She dragged him through the throng towards the bar, the smell of pizza and beer wafting through the air. This was where the older patrons sat; several of them turned to survey Misty with deep interest. Ash scowled deeply, tightening his grip on her waist.

Oblivious to the attention, Misty launched into a conversation about lanes with the man behind the counter. They soon secured one to rent, but it was only when he asked their shoe sizes that it hit Ash how out of place they must look among the crowd of grungy hoodies and jeans. Ash blinked at the sight of the red and white monstrosities peeking out from his smart khakis, but he looked positively stylish next to Misty. The sight of her in a slinky cocktail dress and bowling shoes was downright hilarious.

'Don't laugh, Ash!' Misty moaned half heartedly as she clambered gingerly to her feet. 'Daisy'd have my head if she saw me in these!'

'Actually, I think they rather suit you.'

Misty giggled, striking an exaggerated model pose that drew every male eye in the vicinity.

'Hot or what, Ash?' she smirked, spinning around.

Ash's face split into a grin. 'Definitely hot.'

They played three games, Misty outplaying all the boys in the lanes either side – not that she noticed, of course. She ended up winning the first game, and much to her delight, Ash swept her off her feet and spun her around, just like in a romantic movie. Of course, that didn't last long; Misty spent the next half an hour demanding her five dollars. She ended up eating her own words when, late into the second round, Ash finally got the first strike of the night. But she didn't really care; she was too busy laughing when he fell to his knees and beat his chest like a happy gorilla.

Ash ended up winning the second game and when the time cut off before they could finish the third, they agreed it was a tie. Ash bought cotton candy in lieu of the five dollars, failing to mention that technically it was Misty who owed him.

Ash didn't mind. She tasted sweeter than ever when he finally kissed her goodnight.

The next day was even better. Ash invited Misty to spend Sunday in Pallet, and she landed on his doorstep in shorts and an old t-shirt, hair pulled back into a ponytail. They spent the day doing what they did best; training.

Ash took her down to the river where they'd first met and after a couple of warm up exercises, challenged her to a full six-on-six battle. It ended up taking most of the afternoon; with the water close by, Misty was even more of a formidable opponent than usual.

When Pikachu finally took down Gyarados, Misty's face fell and her bottom lip began to tremble. Ash didn't know what to think. They'd battled together hundreds of times and he'd never seen her react to defeat like this. Ash hurried over, babbling clumsy words of comfort and eagerly offering a rematch as he wrapped his arms around her. But Misty twisted out of his embrace, shrugging off his grip on her shoulders. Ash froze, hurt, and worried that he'd done something wrong.

Misty flashed her wicked grin, reached out her skinny arms and pushed him straight in the river.

Of course, Ash wasn't going to let her get away with that too easily, and the forest rang with Misty's screams as he chased her through the trees, laughing manically. Chucking her in was quite a satisfactory revenge. They actually ended up having a proper swim, despite the cool November air, racing each other up and down the small pool and spying local Water Pokémon.

They turned up late for dinner, flushed from their latest make out session and soaking wet, but Delia didn't mind. In fact, she almost exploded with pride to see the girl she'd loved as a daughter, sitting at the dinner table in Ash's clothes and bickering with him over who'd truly been responsible for their Intraschool Tournament win.

So, after such a weekend, it was understandable that Ash was feeling pretty pleased with himself.

He hurried down the hall towards his homeroom, barely stopping to acknowledge people as they called out congratulations. He burst in through the classroom door, ignoring the yelps of surprise from inside the crowded room, but after a quick scan Ash was left disappointed. She definitely wasn't here yet.

'Looking for someone?'

Ash spun around. Misty was standing right behind him, her hands on her hips as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

Ash grinned, taking a casual step closer and snagging her waist with his arms. 'Not any more,' he murmured as he leaned down to touch his lips to hers.

A sharp cough interrupted their embrace, which admittedly, was getting a little out of hand for a public place. Ash jerked his head up to see Professor Birch surveying them both with a mildly reproving expression. Ash felt a hot flush creep up his cheeks, forgetting to move his hands, which were slung dangerously low on Misty's waist.

'Homeroom began thirty seconds ago, you know.'

'Yes, sir,' Ash replied quickly, lying through his teeth; how had he missed the bell?

Professor Birch raised an eyebrow pointedly; for a moment, Ash just stared at him, uncomprehending. Then he made a grab for Misty's hand and tugged her hastily into the classroom.

May, Drew, Dawn and Paul were already in their seats but there was no time for any sort of conversation; Professor Birch took his place behind his desk, looking more severe than usual. The class lapsed into instant silence as he began his lecture.

Ash found it very difficult to concentrate. He fought the constant, overpowering urge to twist around in his seat and grin at Misty, to touch her hair, but he knew better than to try anything. The last thing he wanted was a double detention clouding up his week's social calendar; he had better things to do.

About ten minutes into class the door swung sharply open, banging against the wall, and Gary marched in. He handed Professor Birch a note without a word; Ash recognized the distinctive red paper of the Headmaster's office. Gary had been with Professor Oak.

There was a shocked murmur as Gary turned to take his seat. His lip was cut and swollen and along one side of his jaw was a nasty purple bruise. The rest of him didn't look much better; the red dye had faded to a streaky burnt orange, and he still looked like he wanted to kill something.

Ash watched with his old rival took his seat. He'd been so caught up with Misty this morning that he hadn't even noticed Gary's absence, but since he had a vested interest in Gary's behavior over the course of the rest of the day, it was interesting to observe him. He didn't seem to be handling the pressure very well – in fact, he twisted around in his seat, shot Ash a filthy look and then buried his head in a textbook. Ash was mildly affronted – after all the things he'd done in the past week, Gary really didn't have the right to accuse anyone of being evil.

It was then that Ash noticed that Daisy Oak's seat was empty. He sighed, grinning a little to himself – how many other details had he missed so far? He hoped that being with Misty wasn't going to permanently damage his concentration. He couldn't say he was sorry for her absence. He was bound to giving Daisy an apology, and delivering it wasn't something he was particularly looking forward to.

When the bell rang, Gary was the first one out of the classroom door. Ash idly watched him leave, without the curiosity of his classmates; after all, he was the only one who knew what Gary was facing in just a few hours time.

But Ash had more important people to worry about. He sprang to his feet, seized the pile of books on Misty's desk and gallantly offered her his arm.

'Care to be escorted to Battle Practice, fair lady?' he crooned.

Misty rolled her eyes. 'Such a dork, Ketchum,' she replied, betraying herself by eagerly seizing his arm.

It was a long enough walk to the Battle Complex, but virtually impossible to hold a conversation. The hallway was packed, but that wasn't the problem; everyone stood back to let the two Champions through. Ash noticed Misty's faintly gratified smile with amusement.

'You should be used to attention, you know,' he murmured. 'You _are _a Sensational Sister, after all.'

Misty giggled. 'Yeah, but this is _better.'_

'How come?'

Misty shrugged. 'I'm a Champion now, not just some girl in a bathing suit.'

Ash tightened his grip on her arm. 'You've never been just some girl in a bathing suit, Misty,' he said severely.

Misty smiled up at him, her eyes warm. 'Maybe not to you,' she said softly, '…but I guess your opinion is all that really matters, in the end.'

Ash's throat constricted oddly, but luckily that was all the talk they could manage. That was the downside of all the attention; half the school was there to watch their every move and with it being so busy, people were standing close enough to hear their every word. Ash sighed. The gossip network would be breaking this down all over the internet tonight.

They parted at the doors of the Battle Complex and Ash sailed through his two training battles. Sometimes he got rankled by the ease with which he won, but today nothing could dampen his spirits. He barely noticed either of his opponents.

Wartortle was still delivering its final attack when Ash started gazing around, trying to locate his girlfriend, but she was nowhere to be found. Disappointed, Ash quickly ended the final round of the battle, gathered his stuff together and trooped towards the exit.

His heart did a funny stutter when he caught sight of bright red hair waiting by the tall double doors. Misty was squinting down onto the Ice Fields, as if expecting him to pop out from behind a snowman.

Ash sidled forwards with a sneaky grin and snaked his arms around her waist.

'Looking for someone?'

Misty's head jerked around, her mouth forming a little "o" of surprise and indignation. Then she smiled, snuggling into him.

'Hello. I didn't know where you were.'

Ash chuckled. 'I was looking for you, of course. Come on, let's go,' he said, leading her out of the doors and towards the lunchroom.

'How were your battles?' Misty asked as they made their way down the hallway.

'Oh, nothing special. How about you?'

Misty shrugged. 'I got one of Gary's old fangirls for my second opponent. She didn't waste time in telling me that they've all decided to transfer their undying loyalty to you.'

Ash winced. 'Great. That's just what I need - another bunch of fan girls ringing my doorbell at all hours of the night and leaving their underwear in my mail box.'

Misty smiled dangerously, baring her teeth. 'Oh, you won't have to worry about that.'

Ash frowned. 'But you just said - '

'I told her that if she or any of her little friends went anywhere near you, I'd set Gyarados on them.'

Ash snorted with laughter. 'Why doesn't that surprise me?'

'I don't want anything distracting you from your battling, that's all.'

'You mean you don't want any other girls sniffing around me, looking for a date.'

'Dream on, Ketchum. You couldn't find another date if it hit you in the face.'

'You know, you're sort of insulting yourself there, since _you're_ the one that's dating me right now.'

'…I sort of am, aren't I?'

They laughed together as Ash bought Misty lunch and then piled another tray high for himself. Misty looked on in disapproval.

'Ash, that's disgusting. Do you really need hot wings, a baked potato, lasange and a hamburger?'

'Hey, I've got _you _for a girlfriend. It's hard work. I need to keep my strength up.'

Misty didn't dignify that with a response; she simply smacked him over the head for his cheek. She was still giggling as she followed Ash to a new table in the center of the lunchroom.

Their friends were already there. May was sitting with her legs across in Drew's lap, and somehow they were managing to feed each other fries in a disgustingly flirtatious manner and hold an argument at the same time. Misty rolled her eyes as scraps of their conversation reached her.

'Hey, it's not my fault you haven't trained your Beautifly right.'

'Oh be quiet, you self righteous git! You're one to talk, you haven't come anywhere near Flygon's potential – hey, I don't like ketchup, remember?'

'Sorry, gorgeous. Here you go…but seriously, I still can't believe you think you have a chance against me next month. After my Eevee evolves it's going to destroy that Glaceon of yours…'

'Yeah right. My Glaceon is _so _much better than any of your Pokémon…'

On and on and _on_. Misty bit her lip to smother a giggle; only May and Drew could be so outlandish and get away with it.

Dawn and Paul were behaving much more sensibly. They were sitting very close together, their entwined hands resting on the table between their respective trays. Dawn was talking nineteen to the dozen, recounting every detail of her Appeal class while slurping her soda with gusto. Paul didn't say anything, just nodding as her story required, but his eyes never left her face. A small, fond smile that Misty had never seen before was playing on his lips.

'Greetings, various idiots,' Ash announced as he set the trays on the table and pulled Misty's chair back for her.

'Aww, look how cute,' Drew crooned as Misty took the proffered seat.

'Shut up Drew, you did that for May two minutes ago,' Paul cut in, shooting Ash a grin.

'And you'll do it again in half an hour when we go to Advanced Training,' May added, looking stern.

Drew looked surprised. 'Of course I will,' he said, shrugging. 'But that doesn't mean I can't laugh at Ash for doing it too.'

'You know, that makes absolutely no sense,' Misty said, ripping into her chocolate pudding.

'You get used to it,' Dawn grinned, chewing on a carrot stick. 'So how are things going with you two? Did Gary bother you today at all?'

'Nope, he hasn't been anywhere near us,' Misty said, shooting Ash a small grin.

'Maybe he knows what will happen if he does,' Ash replied innocently.

'Now how would he know that?' Misty said in a mock thoughtful voice, playing along.

'I don't know…maybe because I told him?' Ash grinned.

Dawn wasn't listening. She was staring past both Ash and Misty, her eyes narrowing.

'Speak of the devil…' she interrupted softly, '…here he comes.'

The lunchroom had grown quiet and when Ash turned, he easily caught sight of Gary walking towards them. His face was drawn and taut, his hands clenched into tight fists.

'Want me to deck him, Ash?' Drew said in a hushed voice.

'I'll help,' May and Paul added simultaneously.

'No, no,' Ash said lazily. 'Let's see what he wants first.'

Gary continued purposefully towards him, totally ignoring his silent, ogling classmates and the nosy lunch ladies leaning over the counter, straining to catch a bit of what was happening. He didn't even look at Ash as he drew to a stop in front of him; his eyes were fixed on Misty.

'Can I talk to you?' he mumbled.

Ash didn't even flinch. 'Why hello Gary,' he said loudly, ignoring the fact that Gary clearly hadn't been talking to him. 'What can I do for you?'

Paul, Drew, May and Dawn, along with most of the rest of the lunchroom, turned to gape at Ash. Why hadn't he hit Gary yet?

Only Misty smiled, serene.

Gary sent Ash a look of pure loathing. 'I'm here to speak to Misty, as you already know, you asshole!' he hissed.

'I'm sorry, what was that?' Ash said, raising his voice in the silent room and cupping a hand around his ear. 'It's just so noisy in here that it's impossible to hear anything!'

Gary gnashed his teeth together. 'I _said, _I'm here to speak to Misty!' he growled, switching his glare back to the redhead.

Drew tightened his grip on May protectively, as if Gary might suddenly turn on her instead. 'How can you even _think _of coming anywhere near her after what you've put her through?' he hissed. Paul cracked his knuckles in agreement, shifting a little so that his body was slightly in front of Dawn, like a shield. She peered beadily around him regardless.

Misty turned to them with a smile. 'It's okay, guys,' she said. 'I got this.'

Then, with every eye in the cafeteria fixed beadily upon her, Misty stood, a slow, lithe and overtly sensual movement that rippled down her body. She shook back her hair, ran her hands up to her hips and looked Gary straight in the eye.

'Yes, Gary?' she crooned sweetly.

Gary blinked; even at her most devious, Misty knew how to be irresistible. Then he remembered himself, coughing sharply as he fixed his scowl back into place. His eyes bored into her as he began in a loud, wooden voice.

'I just wanted to say that I'm…sorry. I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have treated you that way. Are we good now?'

A smile spread across Misty's face as she cocked her head to the side, apparently, deep in thought. 'Well…almost,' she replied, glee seeping into her tone.

Steam began to billow from Gary's ears. 'What more do you want, you - ' he began in a furious tone, but then Ash stood up very quickly, his face suddenly murderous. He stomped hard on Gary's toes as a little warning, ignoring the growl as Gary remembered the second part of his side of the deal.

'Fine,' he fumed quietly, before raising his voice again. 'I'm an arrogant, self righteous asshole,' he announced flatly, staring around as if daring anyone to contradict him.

A scandalized titter ran through the cafeteria, people who'd been terrorized by Gary exchanging gleeful glances, but Misty ignored then. She smiled pityingly, narrowing her eyes at her helpless victim.

'You didn't honestly think it would be that easy, did you?' she purred.

And then, without any further preamble, she flashed her palm backwards, and slapped Gary straight in the face.

Gary made no noise as the blow struck home, but when he looked back at Misty there was a vivid red handprint left on his pale cheek. She surveyed her handiwork with satisfaction.

'_Now_ we're good.'

Ash smirked. 'Nice work, Misty. Goes well with the purple jaw, Gary. Maybe everyone else you've hurt will want to leave their own mark as well.'

Dawn stood up. 'We can help there.'

'Yeah, I've always wanted to give someone a black eye,' May added, pushing back her chair.

'Er, how about we handle this, ladies?' Drew said in alarm as he and Paul leapt quickly to their feet.

'You wouldn't dare,' Gary snarled, looking a lot less threatening than he usually did, now that he had a girl's handprint embedded into his cheek.

'Oh yes, we would,' Paul snarled, leaning forwards over the table.

'Is that a threat, Purple?'

'I think so, you…'

Ash stepped in quickly before a fully fledged fight could break out. 'Guys, guys, its okay,' he said. 'Gary and I have come to a mutual, mature reconciliation of our differences, and as much as I appreciate the sentiment, it is no longer necessary for you to beat him into a pulp. Got it?'

Drew exhaled sharply, looking disappointed. 'Got it,' he said grudgingly. Paul said nothing, his dark eyes fixed still trained on Gary's every move.

Ash turned to Gary. 'We're done here.'

Gary's eyes narrowed. 'Yes, we are,' he snapped. And with one last contemptuous look at the six around the table, he turned on his heel and stalked away.

'Oh, and Gary?' Ash called casually after him. Gary stopped, turning unwillingly back to face him.

'I haven't forgotten my end of the deal. I'll speak to Daisy as soon as I see her.'

Gary's eyes narrowed. 'She'll be in tomorrow. Don't forget, Ketchum, or you'll end up with your own Technicolor face.'

'I won't,' Ash replied, his expression unusually serious

Gary nodded once, sharply, and once again Ash was sure he saw something that looked like respect flash across his rival's face. But then it was gone, and Gary turned and walked away, leaving silence in his wake.

The cafeteria door slammed, and for a moment, there was utter silence. Then, like a pane of glass shattering, a buzz of excitable chatter broke out throughout the room. Drew sat down hard in his chair, his eyes bugging so far out of their sockets they seemed in danger of tumbling to the floor.

'And what the _heck _was that all about?' he demanded.

Ash chuckled, lounging back into his seat and slurping on his soda. 'Oh, let's just say Gary paid me a little visit that he soon regretted.'

'_You _gave him that on his jaw?' Paul put in incredulously.

Ash pouted. 'No need to sound so surprised, Paul.'

'So are you ever going to tell us what happened?' May interrupted, her tone agitated.

'I just did,' Ash smirked. Misty chuckled.

Dawn slapped the top of the table. 'That's not good enough, Ash,' she said sharply. 'I need details and I need them _now. _In other words, if you don't tell me exactly what happened, you're going to be washing soup out of your ears for the next week!'

Ash laughed out loud. 'Fine,' he grinned.

He proceeded to recount how Gary had turned up on his doorstep to apologize, and with a little exaggeration, described how he'd delivered the death blow to Gary's pride.

'So after I'd punched him, he asked if we were even, and I said no way. He still owed Misty an apology. He looked more frightened than ever at that, and started mumbling something about calling her, but I wasn't going to let him get away that easily. I said it had to be at lunch, in front of everyone, as payback for making everyone believe that Misty actually wanted to be with him. After all, he did have the whole school convinced that she was a cheater.'

'Yeah, he deserved it,' Misty intoned fervently.

Drew shook his head in disbelief. 'How the heck did you get him to agree to that?'

Ash laughed again. 'I think he was just so stunned that I'd hit him, he would have agreed to anything I asked. But when I mentioned the lunch room he got all uppity, so I had to threaten to spill more details to his grandfather…I guessed that he'd only told Professor Oak the bare details, and luckily, I was right. You know what Gary's like – he respects his grandfather more than anyone else on the planet. He'd rather be the school laughingstock than brave any more of Professor Oak's disapproval.

'I also promised to apologize to Daisy for…you know. The stupid thing is, I was going to do that anyway!'

There was a little silence around the table.

'So you knew this was coming, Misty?' Dawn asked.

'Oh yeah,' Misty said dismissively. 'Ash told me about it on Saturday, so that I wouldn't be caught off guard. Of course, he didn't know I was going to hit him…'

'I had a fair idea,' Ash grinned.

'And you didn't stop me?'

'Of course not!'

She turned to laugh with the rest of her companions, but they still looked a little shell shocked by the turn of events. Dawn was blinking rapidly as she processed the information; Paul looked graver than ever. May's expression was blank with shock. Only Drew had gotten over it already – he was busy shoveling in fries again.

'So basically, you both smacked the hell out of Gary and paid him back for being for being a jerk,' he mumbled through a mouthful of food. He paused, considering. 'That sounds pretty fair.' He sighed happily, snuggling closer to May. 'Ah, I love a happy ending.'

Ash chuckled quietly as he reached out and took Misty's hand, squeezing it tightly as he smiled down at her.

'Me too, Drew,' he murmured. 'Me too.'

xxxxx

So there you have it, my lovelies. Gary did get the humiliation we were all hoping he would…and of course, Ash and Misty got exactly what they deserved; each other.

Truth be told, I am sort of in shock. I can't believe this is over…it doesn't seem real, somehow. This story has been an intrinsic part of my life over the last year, always in the back of my mind. I don't know what life will be like without it. And though I have shed sweat, blood and tears to bring it to you, I absolutely love it, and I am so proud of what I have achieved. Writing it has been one of the most eye opening experiences of my life.

Now, I may not be a real author yet and this may not be a published book, but there are plenty of people I need to thank:

Thank you to all the people at Bulbapedia – this story would be a shadow of what it is now without the invaluable information your site provided.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to all my lovely readers, especially those who leave such wonderful reviews. I will mention a few, who have been especially supportive: **Pokemon-Princess.8**, your reviews and private messages ALWAYS make me blush and I appreciate the extra mile you go to support me. You are a truly special reader, and it has been a pleasure to write for you! **SteveAAML – **you haven't been with me long but your detailed, specific reviews spur me to better myself, and I appreciate the time you have put into supporting me. Thank you! **Crystalgurl101 **– your reviews make me squeal and I love the virtual waffles you send me :D seriously though, you go out of you way to encourage me, and its people like you that kept me going when it was hard! You rock! **Samia-chan** – when you tell me that I have what it takes to be a writer, I believe you, and that in itself is a miracle. I will miss that – thank you so much!

If there is anyone else I am forgetting, please forgive me. I really do appreciate every single one of you, especially those who left reviews urging me to get on with this. I also just want to mention those who have been with me from the start – you know who you are. It's been a long year, and I appreciate you sticking with me for so long!

Thank you to **waterfalls **and **IrresistableAshGirl **for the marvelous fan art; you are both wonderful!

Thank you to **Texas Longhorn**, my so-much-more-than-just-a-beta, for your months of help and support.

Thank you to my lovely family. None of you will ever read this, but I appreciate you all so much. Sorry for shutting myself in my room and then emerging with an angry case of writer's block!

And finally, thank you to , for existing. Without this site I may never have realized that this is what I love, what I'm good at and what I want to pursue as a career. I owe you one :D

Now, one final thing. My brother, who knows about my Pokémon passion, showed me something the other day. It was a supposed secret trailer of a new live action Pokemon movie. I'm not a movie buff so I really couldn't tell if it was real or not – my reasoning had me divided. On the one hand, it looked very professional to be a fake, and it sort of made sense that they would try and reach the older market who grew up with Pokémon (i.e. me) – and to be honest, after everything else Pokémon related that they've created, it seemed about time that they do something like it. On the other hand, why wouldn't they have made it (though obviously a toned down version) years ago, when Pokémon was huge in the USA and Europe? And why keep it a secret? I couldn't decide, but i really hoped it was true.

Then, literally an hour after posting this chapter, I came across this, which explains everything:

http:/ www. / watch?v = sDX1m0Y2Vkg&feature = topvideos

I was disappointed that it wasn't real, but i really reccommend you watch it - i was pleased with the general air of Pokeshippy-ness, and I think you will be too! Here's the original 'leaked' one, just in case:

http:/ www. youtube. com/ watch?v =WFUD7thPctQ

So that's it, I guess. Fair ye well, all you wonderful people, and let us hope one day that we will see Ash and Misty together in the anime, and not just in fan made movies or in our heads. I love you all, God bless!


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